When I first encountered the title Our Lady of Sorrows, I assumed this devotion was meant for women walking through life’s greatest tragedies. It seemed like a devotion reserved for funerals or seasons of unspeakable grief.

While Mary certainly accompanies us through those moments, I have come to realize that September’s dedication to Our Lady of Sorrows is an invitation for all of us—not just when we are walking through tough seasons, but in the ordinary seasons of life too.

Every September, the Church invites us to contemplate Mary’s Seven Sorrows:

• the prophecy of Simeon
• the flight into Egypt
• the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
• Mary meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary
• standing at the Foot of the Cross
• receiving the body of Jesus after His death
• witnessing His burial

These moments reveal the depth of Mary’s love and the strength of her faith.

The title of Our Lady of Sorrows reminds us that Mary is a mother who understands the wounds of the human heart. She knows what it is like to experience uncertainty, fear, grief, and the pain of watching someone she loves suffer. Even at the Foot of the Cross, when everything appeared lost, Mary remained close to Jesus. 

Staying Close to Jesus and Mary in Ordinary Life

Most of us will not experience the kind of suffering Mary endured. Our days will likely be filled with much more ordinary things: answering emails, folding laundry, picking up children from school, preparing dinner, visiting loved ones, and maybe offering up a few prayer intentions to our Lady.

It is precisely in these ordinary moments that Our Lady of Sorrows wants to meet us and teach us how to stay close to Jesus.

The Church remembers Mary’s sorrows because her unwavering faith shows us what it looks like to trust God in every season of life.

Simeon foretold this when he told Mary, “and a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35). Mary’s life would not be free from suffering, yet she always trusted God’s promises. Her example reminds us that faith is not measured by a life without hardship, but by a heart that continues to say yes to God.

Building a Friendship With Our Lady

One of the greatest gifts of Marian devotion is that it invites us into friendship with Mary.

We do not turn to Mary only when life falls apart; we come to know her so that when suffering inevitably comes, we already recognize the voice of a mother who walks beside us. September offers an opportunity to intentionally grow in that friendship. 

This does not require adding another complicated devotion to an already full schedule. Rather, consider inviting Mary into the moments that already fill your day.

Before your feet hit the floor each morning, pray a simple prayer:

Our Lady of Sorrows, stay close to me today. Teach me to stay close to Jesus.

While you are driving to work or school, pray a Hail Mary for someone carrying a silent cross. Maybe it’s a coworker caring for a sick spouse, a young mother who feels overwhelmed, or an elderly neighbor who feels lonely. Asking Mary to help us notice those who suffer begins to shape our hearts like hers.  

Learning to Notice with Mary’s Heart

One thing I love about Our Lady of Sorrows is that she teaches us to notice. She noticed Jesus. She stayed close to Him throughout His life, from His childhood through His ministry and Passion. John’s Gospel simply tells us, “Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus [was] his mother” (John 19:25). 

Mary could not relieve His suffering, but she remained faithfully present in the midst of it.

We often feel pressure to fix every problem. We search for the perfect words when a friend receives a difficult diagnosis. We worry about saying the wrong thing to someone who is grieving. We want our children to never experience disappointment or heartbreak. 

Yet Mary’s witness reminds us that love is often expressed simply by showing up and being there for others.

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows might change the way we answer a phone call from a hurting friend. Instead of rushing to offer advice, we listen.

It might change how we respond to a child who has had a difficult day at school. Instead of immediately solving every problem, we sit beside them, reminding them that Jesus and Mary understand sadness.

It might even change how we treat the cashier who seems distracted, the coworker who appears burdened, or the parishioner sitting alone after Mass.

When we ask Mary to form our hearts, we begin noticing the crosses people carry that are invisible to everyone else.

As Saint Paul reminds us, God “consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Mary’s life beautifully reflects this truth. Having walked the road of sorrow with her Son, she now accompanies us with the tenderness and grace of a loving mother.

Growing in Devotion as a Family

This September is a beautiful time to introduce children to Our Lady of Sorrows in a way that is both age-appropriate and hope-filled.

While the title may sound heavy at first, it can help children understand that Mary knows what it means to have a hurting heart—and that she never stops leading us to Jesus.

Try learning about one of her Seven Sorrows each week. Read the corresponding Gospel passage together and invite your children to imagine what Mary might have been experiencing.

Ask questions like, “How do you think Mary showed her love for Jesus at this moment?” or “How did she continue trusting God, even when she didn’t understand everything?”

Having these conversations can help children see Mary as a mother who understands both joy and sorrow.

You could also create a small prayer corner for September with an image or icon of Our Lady of Sorrows. Light a battery-operated candle before family prayer and invite each family member to name someone who is carrying a heavy cross. Together, ask for Mary’s intercession, reminding your children that she lovingly brings all our intentions to her Son. 

A Heart That Stays Close to Jesus

The beautiful thing about Our Lady of Sorrows is that she doesn’t ask us to become experts on her Seven Sorrows. She wants us to become women whose hearts resemble hers—women who remain close to Jesus, notice the suffering of others, and trust God even when we don’t understand.

So, invite Our Lady of Sorrows into your daily life. Ask her to walk with you as you fold laundry, commute to work, comfort a child, visit a loved one, or sit with a friend who needs someone to listen.

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows looks like choosing compassion, being present, and placing trust in the Lord.

Mary guides us to where she has always led her children—to her Son, reminding us that the Cross is never the end of the story, but the beginning of the hope of the Resurrection.