Author: Caitlin Kennell Kim

  • What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary?

    What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary?

    The “Seven Sorrows of Mary” refers to the seven feats of “spiritual martyrdom” (suffering spiritually through experiences) endured by the Mother of God in loving solidarity with her Son. They are:

    1) Mary’s sorrow at the prophecy of Simeon
    2) The flight into Egypt
    3) Having lost the Holy Child in Jerusalem
    4) Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary
    5) Standing at the foot of the Cross
    6) Jesus being taken from the Cross (Depicted in art as The Pieta)
    7) The burial of Christ.

    The Seven Sorrows are all rooted in Scripture. Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary stems primarily from the Order of Servites (The Servants of Mary) and has given rise to the Seven Sorrows Rosary as well as many other devotions to the sorrows (or dolors) of Our Lady. The Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary falls on September 15 and was first celebrated by the Servites before becoming part of the liturgical calendar of the Church Universal.

    Originally published April 2013.

  • A Guide to the Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

    A Guide to the Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

    i-heart-jesusThe Church dedicates the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, one of the most popular Catholic devotions throughout the world. So what is the Sacred Heart, anyway? When Catholics talk about the Sacred Heart we’re referring to the physical (yes, blood and ventricles and valves … this is an unabashedly embodied faith, y’all) Heart of Jesus as a representation of his Divine Love for humanity. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus’ Heart was moved by compassion for the poor, the sick, the forgotten, and the grieving. Pierced by a sword on the Cross as an act of self-giving love and enthroned in Heaven for eternity, this same Heart still beats for us and yearns for us and overflows with mercy for us and aches in solidarity with us. Come along with your favorite convert and start your summer off right(eous) with a few ideas to celebrate the month of the Sacred Heart:

    1. Begin at the Beginning

    During June, make an effort to begin your day with prayer. If this is a new practice for you, start out simply. If you have a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, use it to focus as you pray. Try this little prayer to start:

    Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

    For a couple or family: Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I give myself and my whole family entirely to you [here name your family members], and to show our devotion to You this day, we consecrate to You our eyes, our ears, our mouths, our hearts, our whole being without reserve. Wherefore, dear Mother and sweet Jesus, we are Your own, guard us and keep us always as Your property and possession. Amen. (from The Catholic Mother’s Resource Guide by Maria Compton-Hernandez, Queenship Publishing, 2002)

    For a single person: Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I give myself entirely to you, and to show my devotion to You this day, I consecrate to You my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve. Wherefore, dear Mother and sweet Jesus, I am Your own, guard me and keep me always as Your property and possession. Amen.

    If there are little people at your house, invite them to pray along by making the Sign of the Cross over their eyes, ears, mouth, and hearts as you pray aloud. (Also, make it clear that you want them touching their own eyes, ears, etc. … or else what started off as an act of piety will turn into a no holds barred cage match. Ask me how I know.)

    2. Tell it to his heart

    If you (like me) are a child of the ’80s, this song is now stuck in your head … probably forever. You’re welcome. This month, as we think about the boundless love of Christ and his Heart … which is set aflame with love for us, which was contained in his earthly body, which contains the whole universe … let’s imagine our prayers, petitions, worries, joys, and fears tucked into the living, beating Heart of Jesus. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

    • Using a dry erase or chalk board, draw an outline of the Sacred Heart. For the rest of the month of June, write your petitions inside the Heart.
    • Cut out a large Sacred Heart shape from poster board. Using photos, magazine clippings, and newspaper headlines, fill the Heart with images of loved ones, images that represent personal intentions, and words or images that represent petitions for your community and the whole world. Use the collage you’ve created as a starting point for prayer.
    • Try this exercise: Imagine you are standing face to face with Jesus. As you tell him the joys, burdens, and concerns of you heart, imagine his Sacred Heart growing more and more radiant with love. See your intentions inside his Heart and trust that they are safe there.

    3. Go to Mass

    Did you ever notice that the priest pours a bit of water into the wine before the Eucharist is consecrated? Ever wonder why? One reason comes from Scripture. In John’s Gospel, the soldier pierces Jesus side (i.e. his Heart) with a sword and blood and water flows from the wound. When we receive the Eucharist, we are receiving the Heart of Jesus. After you receive Communion, pray that through the grace of the Blessed Sacrament your heart may be made more like his Heart … merciful, compassionate, humble, and fearless. If you have yet to receive your first Communion, pray this prayer as you place your hands over your own heart to receive the God’s blessing from your priest.

    4. Divine Mercy

    The Divine Mercy Chaplet (a prayer) originates from a vision St. Faustina received of Jesus, his Heart overflowing with radiant mercy for all of us. All you need to try this popular devotion is an ordinary rosary (or 10 fingers … or toes). If praying a full chaplet feels intimidating at first, try quietly repeating this short prayer from the chaplet:

    O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of Mercy for us, I trust in You!

    5. And what would a feast be without food

    Although the actual Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is June 7, let the feasting continue all month! Check out Catholic Cuisine for loads of ideas for great food to celebrate the month. If your local farmers’ market is open (ours just opened this weekend), try making a Sacred Heart shape out of sliced strawberries, blueberries for the thorns, and sliced peaches for the flames. You can also make a treat to bring to someone in your parish, neighborhood, or apartment building who is homebound. Let them know that they’re in Jesus’ Heart … and yours too.

    Originally published June 10, 2013.

  • Easter Is Not Over

    Easter Is Not Over

    Photo by Isabella Kramer on Unsplash

    The tomb is empty. The stone has been rolled away. Jesus is not there. A vacant grave appears in the dim light of morning. This is the height and summit of the story of Jesus the Nazarene.

    Except it’s not.

    This year’s Easter reading from the Gospel of John gives us the account of a grief-stricken Mary Magdalene seeking the tomb of her Rabbi, Master, and friend. It is early. The sun has yet to rise. She finds the tomb empty and — with anguish and horror — runs to tell the disciples that someone has taken the body of her Lord. This Jesus (her Jesus), who was all mercy, all truth, all gentle and fierce and holy power — must he suffer the indignity of being stolen in the night? Was not the pain and humiliation of the cross enough? Where have they taken him? Simon Peter and John tear through the quiet streets of Jerusalem and arrive at the tomb. It is just as Mary has reported. Empty. They are left with questions and vague hope.

    RELATED: Infographic — The Signs and Symbols of Easter

    Jesus did not come to give us vague hope. The empty tomb is not the end of the story. Jesus is not gone. He lives. Really and truly lives. Not figuratively. Not in some hyper-spiritualized, otherworldly sense. He is alive.

    In the days following the Resurrection, the disciples see him, touch him, and eat with him. His body — the same body knit together in the womb of his mother and nourished lovingly at her breast. The same body slick and gritty with hard work at the side of his foster-father. The same body constantly reaching out to touch, heal, forgive, comfort, and feed. The same body subject to torture, degradation, and death has been raised from the dead. Jesus has conquered death. By his Passion and Resurrection, he has made our humanity resplendent. Jesus came to give us hope that is resplendent. He knows intimately the depth of the darkness we face. If we are brave enough and trusting enough and reckless enough to hope in him, it cannot overcome us.

    RELATED: More Than a Day: What the Easter Octave Teaches Us

    This week during what the Church calls the Octave of Easter we will hear stories of the Risen Jesus walking and talking and eating and being touched by his friends. We will meet people stumbling in doubt and confusion and grasping at vague hope. We will watch the Risen One set their hearts ablaze with what is glorious and piercing and true. Easter is not over. It is still unfolding. Like the crocuses bravely pushing their way up from my snow-covered garden, the Resurrection has broken the canceling grip of what is cold and cruel and final. This week, the Resurrection will unfurl itself.

    Attend or watch daily Mass this week to hear the Risen Christ proclaimed. Hear how day-by-day the Resurrection blossoms and reveals itself and receive a share of the resplendent hope that is yours … for you. Really and truly for you. The empty tomb is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of a new and glorious and forever unfurling story. It is your story. It is a story of hope. It is hopeful indeed.