TUESDAY READINGS: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026.

TUESDAY READINGS: SEPTEMBER 15, 2026.

• Reflections
• September 14,2026

Tuesday September 15, 2026 

OUR LADY OF SORROWS Memorial

Office: Memorial, Psalter Week 4

Mass and Preface of the Memorial, 

Vestment: White

Today’s Rosary: The Sorrowful Mystery

THIS FEAST ORIGINATED IN GERMANY AND WAS EXTENDED TO THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH BY POPE BENEDICT XIII IN 1721. IT FOCUSES ON THE WAY IN WHICH MARY SHARED IN THE SUFFERINGS OF HER SON WHEN HE OFFERED HIMSELF ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SALVATION.

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Cf. Lk2:34-35

Simeon said to Mary: Behold, this child is destined for the ruin and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign of contradiction; and your own soul a sword will pierce.

COLLECT

O God, who willed that when your Son was lifted high on the Cross, his Mother should stand close by and share his suffering, grant that your Church, participating with the Virgin Mary in the Passion of Christ, may merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you. . .

The Gospel for this memorial is proper.

FIRST READING

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:12-14.27-31a)

Brethren: Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the Church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 100: 1-2. 3. 4. 5 (R. 3c)

R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth. 

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy. R/.

Know that he, the Lord, is God. 

He made us; we belong to him.

We are his people, the sheep of his flock. R/.

R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving 

and his courts with songs of praise.

Give thanks to him, and bless his name. R/.

I will walk with blameless heart within my house;

I will not set before my eyes 

whatever is base. R/.

R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Whoever slanders a neighbour in secret 

I will bring to silence.

Proud eyes and haughty heart I will never endure. R/.

My eyes are on the faithful of the land, 

that they may dwell with me.

The one who walks in the way of the blameless 

shall be my servant. R/.

ALLELUIA

Alleluia. Blessed is the Blessed Virgin Mary; for, without dying, she merited the palm of martyrdom at the foot of the Lord’s cross. Alleluia.

GOSPEL

How the loving mother sorrowed in her anguish, contemplating the torments of her great son! (Stabat Mater).

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 19:25-27)

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Or the following:

GOSPEL

A sword will pierce through your own soul.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 2:33-35)

At that time: The father and mother of Jesus marveled at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

TODAY’S REFLECTION

When we take a reverent look at the Pieta we are pulled into a world of pain and agony. We see the agony of a mother who shares the pain of her son; we sense the grief of a mother who was broken because her son was broken. We see the prophecy of Simeon about a piercing sword of sorrow. Mary journeyed through the Paschal Mystery with her son; she drank the chalice of the crucifixion to its bitter end and courageously kept everything in her heart. In Mary, we see how faith is experienced and expressed. With Mary and the Church, our place is at the cross. We live in a world of broken hearts; a world that hungers for mercy and compassion. Our calling is to draw the pain and suffering of the world into God’s compassion.