SEVENTH DAY - 14 NOVEMBER The Solitude of Mary Most Holy Scripture Passage Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to Her, "Woman, here is Your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:25-27) Consideration Let is consider Mary Most Holy alone at the foot of the Cross, looking at the only Son of Her womb His natural beauty worn out, without any healthy part in that Divine Body. Placed in infamous scaffold, He Who alone is true God; the Creator of the whole universe treated as the worst of all the mortals: And in the end, God Himself put to death by the hands of the most cruel of men, whom He had endowed with infinite goodness and favors. What sighs would this most powerful Dove not give out? What sobs for such anguished Princess! And seeing this, does Mary still live? Yes, says St. Anselm, Mary still lives because the Divine Providence wanted that She should suffer much for men, that She should die not only once but many times; and She did not only live, says St. Ambrose, but considered that tragedy with pleasure, be amazed, by knowing the reason why, even if it pierced Her loving heart seeing Her Son dying on a Cross, she was filled with joy and pleasure, seeing that in this manner He would obtain the health of the world. Reflection How much did Mary who is sinless suffer? What a pity! And nothing could I do not even for Mary. What a shame! (Continue meditating for a quarter of an hour) Prayer Most Sorrowful Virgin, the epitome of great sorrows, and condensed representation of the most cruel pains, whose immense pain, in the death of the most Innocent Jesus, is impossible to affirm, because we alone are the villainous architects of the Cross: Prostrate at Your Divine feet, converted into speechless statutes because of our sorrow, we are sorry one and a thousand times, for having been the cause of your sorrows. And we implore You to look at us with maternal affection, because we cost You so much pains, grant us true sorrow for having offended Your Son, so that through Your intercession, we may find well-disposed that severe and always just Judge, whom our sins have angered, but Your tears have appeased; so that Your afflictions may not increase with our offenses; relieve us in our infirmities and labors in this life, by giving us the health of body and soul, and may we rest with You in the joys of Glory. Amen. Let us pray 5 Hail Marys in honor of the five letters of the most sweet name of MARIA. Nuestra Señora de la Salud, stay close to comfort us! ¡Viva Virgen de la Salud!