I developed a devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows after discovering the supernatural power of her intercession.
I primarily prayed the daily Rosary and turned to Saint Therese of Lisieux, which are very powerful devotions. (Pray your rosary daily as Our Lady requests!)
I prayed to Our Lady of Sorrows when I discovered her power in changing hardened hearts and revealing secrets.
Based on Our Lady's revelations, she never breaks a promise. Below, I've listed seven ways Our Lady of Sorrows gives me grace, comfort, strength, and what I believe are miracles in my daily life.
1) Our Lady of Sorrows gives me joy and comforts me in suffering.
It is difficult to explain, but when I ask for Our Lady of Sorrows' intercession, most especially on the Seven Sorrows Rosary, she grants me the grace of joy. Upon finishing this meditational prayer, I feel stronger and more capable of handling life's difficulties.
Even when I experience sorrow and pray for her help, she somehow grants me joy in my suffering and through her sorrow.
Our Lady promises that through this devotion, she "will console them in their pains..."
I truly believe this comforting grace is Christ's way of saying he will never abandon us, and that true joy lies in resting in Him.
Uniting our sufferings to Christ and meditating on His Mother's sufferings pleases Him, as we are called to emulate Christ in and through our own sufferings.
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)
2) Our Lady of Sorrows grants me miracles.
The first time I embraced the Seven Sorrows devotion, my husband and I had just moved for his job.
We were struggling to find a place to live. Every home we pursued fell through.
Feeling lost and hopeless, I turned to Our Lady of Sorrows before the Eucharistic tabernacle. I asked her to place the Lord's will for our family on my husband's heart and to reveal to him where God called us to live.
Within 20 minutes, before I even left the chapel, my husband called and told me where he felt we should live.
I never asked Our Lady of Sorrows to put us in a particular location. But her intercession conformed my husband's heart to God's will as to where He wanted us to be.
This is just one of the many daily miracles of Our Lady of Sorrow's intercession.
3) Our Lady of Sorrows draws me closer to Jesus.
When I pray and meditate on Our Lady's suffering, she grants me the grace to love Jesus more. She draws me to the Eucharist, gives me the desire to pray and attend Mass as often as possible, and grants me the grace to love Him, especially in my trials.
I love my faith and the sacraments more, especially since I began a devotion to the Sorrowful Mother.
4) Our Lady of Sorrows helps me in my vocation as a wife and mother.
The vocation of marriage and motherhood is not always easy and requires a lot of grace. When I ask for Our Lady of Sorrows' intercession, she gives me the grace of temperance. As mothers, it is easy to get angry or impatient. Our Lady grants me the grace of patience and gentleness when I feel the need to raise my voice at my children.
Our Lady says in my heart, "Be gentle and patient, as I am gentle and patient."
5) Our Lady of Sorrows accompanies me in my work.
Our Lady of Sorrows promises to be with her devotees in their daily labors, and I have seen this promise fulfilled in my own life. Ever since I embraced this devotion, I noticed Our Lady's hand in all the work I carry out throughout the day.
6) Our Lady of Sorrows helps me grow in virtue.
The devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows helps me grow in virtue. She helps me desire greater patience, humility, temperance, and kindness. She helps me overcome my faults. She helps me desire the sacraments, which gives me the grace to desire and carry out these virtues.
7) Our Lady of Sorrows draws me to the beauty and tradition of the Catholic Church.
Over the past few years, my faith has deepened significantly. A large part of that growth has come through my devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows, which has led me to appreciate the richness and beauty of traditional Catholicism. For example, I've grown to love Latin, Gregorian Chant, and now wear a veil at Mass (something I never thought I'd do - but that's a story for another day).
8) Our Lady of Sorrows makes me aware of the spiritual battle waging against our souls.
As I grow closer to Our Lady of Sorrows, I become more aware of the spiritual battle waging for our souls every moment of every day.
She teaches me to remain vigilant in prayer, to fast regularly, and to embrace the sacraments as often as possible. She helps me understand that I must never let my guard down, but instead always remain anchored in Christ.