Commentary on the Gospel of
Saturday - Immaculate Heart of Mary
Sons are often their mothers’ Calvary. “A sword shall pierce your own soul too” (v.35). The lance that pierced him pierced her too. That is the way with love. If you love, you will suffer. Everyone who has ever loved another human being is capable of being hurt on his or her account. If you love, you will suffer; if you do not love, you will still suffer! How do these two forms of suffering differ? If you love, you will begin to suffer more or less immediately (it may be joyful suffering); but the refusal to love, while it may save you from suffering for a time, will bring you greater suffering in the end. On this day, the pierced heart of Mary tells us that the pain of love is better than the pain that follows a refusal to love.
