Hope and Strength in Times of Suffering
With the exquisite prose and poetry that has always graced her writing, Joyce Rupp mines the multiple meanings of important images in the Bible, in order to get us through our own rough moments. Included are: the prophecy of Simeon, the flight into Egypt, Jesus lost in the temple, Mary seeing Jesus carrying the cross, Mary at the foot of the cross, Mary receiving Jesus’ dead body, and Jesus being laid in the tomb.
“Whether or not anyone has any affiliation or devotion to the mother of Jesus, I have come to believe that everyone can find their struggles and sadness hidden in the folds of Mary’s robe of sorrows. Whether Mary is approached as a historical or symbolic figure of compassion, the heartaches and sorrows of her life contain a message of strength and encouragement for those who hurt.
I have personally found much hope and inspiration when I have discovered my own struggles reflected in the sorrows of Mary. I have felt comfort and kinship in knowing that Mary has been there before me. In this Mother of Sorrows, I have found a woman of compassion and courage whose life experiences give me the strength to weather my own tribulations.
It is with this conviction that I approach the seven sorrows of Mary. May you be given what you need for your own life’s journey as you find your sorrows reflected in those of Mary.”
—Joyce Rupp
