SEPTEMBER 13 Mon Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the ChurchMemorial 1 Tm 2:1-8/Lk 7:1-10 

14 Tue The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Feast Nm 21:4b-9/Phil 2:6-11/Jn 3:13-17 

15 Wed Our Lady of Sorrows Memorial 1 Tm 3:14-16 (445)/Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35 

16 Thu Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs Memorial 

1 Tm 4:12-16/Lk 7:36-50

17 Fri Weekday [Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church; Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church] 1 Tm 6:2c-12/Lk 8:1-3 

18 Sat Weekday 1 Tm 6:13-16/Lk 8:4-15 

19 SUN TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Wis 2:12, 17-20/Jas 3:16—4:3/Mk 9:30-37

Every week the liturgy offers a universe of treasures. Not only does it take us back to biblical times, but saints remembered take us to times that shape our own. Cornelius and Cyprian to the age of the martyrs. The feasts of the Holy Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows to the age of pilgrimage. John Chrysostom to the patristic age.  Robert Bellarmine and Hildergarde of Bingen to Reformation times and to the age of the medieval mystics. Whether we know it or not we have been shaped by these times and they help us know the path to take.

Two celebrations this week, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows are closely connected celebrations.

The feast of the Exaltation, celebrated by churches of the east and west, originated in the Basilica of the Resurrection in Jerusalem (Church of the Holy Sepulcher) in the 5th century where the wood of the cross was venerated by the faithful. The One who died and was buried, rose from the dead was nailed to this wood. His Passion and Resurrection are celebrated in this one feast.

Similarly, the memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows sees Mary following her Son, “who emptied himself” in coming among us, even to the point of dying on the Cross, but God exalted him.

Through her life, Mary embraced the “emptying sorrows of her Son”, finally sharing in his death as she stood by his Cross. But she saw her sorrows–her “seven sorrows”– turned into joy. 

“O Lady Mary, thy bright crown is no mere crown of majesty, for with the reflex of his own resplendent thorns, Christ circled thee.” (Thompson) 

Morning and Evening Prayers, week 1, here