Sanctification Through Sorrow

Holly Dodd shares how enduring life’s sorrows, just as our Blessed Mother did, can draw us closer to Christ.

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Cross, and today we honor the mother who stood at the foot of that cross as her only Son was put to death, Our Lady of Sorrows. As Mary witnessed her Son’s final breath and watched the lance pierce His side, she certainly felt a sword piercing her own heart, just as Simeon had prophesied at the Presentation:  

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)  

Simeon had proclaimed her Son to be the light of the world, and a fire was certainly kindled in her own heart that day. What she knew to be true about her Son was now proclaimed in the temple for all to hear. Her love for Him continued to grow, stoking that fire in her heart. She loved her Son with abandon, even while knowing such pain was to one day come. 

A Personal Story of Sorrow 

Five years ago, my youngest son died. I knelt before the crucifix that night, praying, “Jesus, I trust in You” over and over again. I can’t say if I was actually trusting in that moment or trying to persuade myself to trust. I might have been just praying desperately for the strength to be able to trust because I could see the light in my soul fading.   

The world as I knew it had been shattered, and the aftershock was paralyzing. My mind was numb, my body was weak, my heart was pierced through; but a smoldering ember of faith in my soul provided the strength I needed to cling to God. God breathed over that warm ember, keeping my pierced heart beating until I could breathe on my own again. 

Sustained by the repetition of that simple familiar prayer, I was slowly able to recognize God’s hand reaching down to lift me up, and with faith I was able to open my hand in trust to grasp His. Without an established habit of prayer and a friendship with God, I would have been less able to bear the suffering.  

In the days that followed, our Christian community kept us nourished with seemingly endless home-cooked dinners. Our juicer found new life as an abundance of oranges, the go-to winter fruit, seemed to accompany every delivered meal. Our parish priest spent countless hours simply existing with us in our home, sharing in the sorrow, the meals, and the fresh orange juice.   

Day after day, we felt the inexhaustible love of Christ through the love of our community. The practical support created space for spiritual healing. This warm safe space allowed me to sit with my sorrow and see how it was changing me.  

Suffering reordered disordered places in my life I hadn’t recognized. Suffering reminded me that I was not in control. Suffering brought me deeper into prayer and brought me closer to God. And as time passed by, God opened doors that could not have even been visible without that suffering. My suffering was graced with sanctification.  

Our Faith Teaches Us that Suffering Can Draw Us Closer to God  

There is no need to seek suffering in this human life, it will certainly find us; but we can seek to fortify our hearts with prayer and intentional endeavors to grow in relationship with God. We must pray throughout our days and love God with all our hearts, knowing that the suffering will come, and knowing that as we share in His suffering, we can grow closer to Christ.  

Mary knew her dreaded day of suffering would come. She knew the sword would find her, just as Simeon had foretold. Her heart would be broken. She was certain to suffer in this life, just as we all are. A beauty of this Catholic faith, though, is that we know that, precisely through this inevitable worldly suffering, we can discover a path to grow in holiness and become ever closer to God.  

Through suffering, we learn to rely on God. Through suffering, we grow to recognize that only the Lord can fulfill our greatest desires. Through suffering, we can reorder our lives and grow in desire for God. In growing our desire for God, we allow suffering to sanctify us, preparing our souls for Heaven. 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Holly Dodd
Images: Canva