Christ's Passion and Death is what saves us. These final two weeks of Lent – Passiontide – are privileged weeks. The Church calls us to reflect upon Our Lord's Passion and the unique role fulfilled by the Holy Mother of God. No exercise is more profitable for our sanctification. St. Bonaventure, St. John Eudes, St. Bridget of Sweden, Ven. Maria of Agreda and the benedictine monk John Lydgate serve as helpful guides.
The Blessed Virgin Mary united herself to her Son's Sacrifice in an all together unique way. Her participation in His Passion and Death was so profound, that she truly merited the title of Co-Redemptrix. Her thoughts and actions, as detailed in the Mystical City of God, provide an ideal model for how we are called to truly participate at Mass.
The Sword of Damocles signifies impending doom. What terrible swords [seven!] hung over Our Lady! They pierced her Immaculate Heart with sorrow. Yet at every moment she willingly and actively embraced the passion of her Son. Perhaps she even experienced a mystical death at the moment of her Son's death. (However, it is theologically unsound and impious to suggest Our Lady 'passed out' on Calvary.) Thus, as the popes have consistently taught, we rightly honor and invoke her as CoRedemptrix.
In 1883, a good priest adorned the country chapel of Campocavallo with a pious 'Pieta' image of Our Lady. The image proved miraculous, moving its eyes and shedding tears. It was crowned and adorned with jewels, despite the pilfery of impious thieves. The sorrows and sufferings of Mary are a great mystery. Yet in their union with Christ, they have wrought our redemption. Truly, Our Lady is Co-Redemptrix. She continues to shed tears – for man unceasingly offends God and her Son is betrayed by His prelates. May her tears gain our salvation.
