September 15, 2025 Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Daily Readings: 1 Timothy 2:1-8; John 19:25-27
The first reading is an exhortation to embrace the universality of prayer. St. Paul urges that supplications, intercessions, thanksgivings, and petitions be offered for all people, especially for rulers and those in authority, so that peace may reign and the Gospel may spread unhindered. Prayer is not limited in scope or form; rather, it is a lifeline that embraces the whole world. Paul even emphasizes the posture of prayer: with uplifted hands, free from anger, quarrel, or resentment. Such prayer shapes believers into people of quiet strength, peace, and godliness.
Paul then reflects on the foundation of faith: there is only one God, and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ Jesus. He is the ransom offered for all, the one who desires salvation for the entire human family. Paul himself recognizes his own vocation flowing from this mystery, he is called as herald, apostle, and teacher of the Gentiles. His mission is rooted not in human merit but in the overwhelming grace of his encounter with Christ.
After celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church fittingly turns to the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. The Gospel brings us to Calvary, where three crosses stand: two for condemned criminals, and one for the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Beneath the cross of Jesus, His mother Mary stands with quiet strength, accompanied by Mary Magdalene and the wife of Clopas. In that profound moment of agony, Jesus entrusts His mother to the beloved disciple and, in doing so, gives her to the Church. Mary becomes not only the mother of Jesus but the spiritual mother of all believers, the mother of the new community of faith.
At the foot of the Cross, the Church was born in sorrow and love. Mary stands as a model of fidelity, hope, and maternal care, reminding us that in Christ, we belong to a universal family united by faith and love.
Call to Action: Our Lady, Mother of Sorrows, experienced seven swords piercing her heart. Mothers, in general, are both noble and suffering people of God. What is my attitude toward them?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
