Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Women in Religion
The Joy Of All Who Sorrow: Mary’s Solidarity Us

The Joy Of All Who Sorrow: Mary’s Solidarity Us

Last updated on: July 23, 2025 at 2:04 am by Henry Karlson

0 Comments

The Joy Of All Who Sorrow: Mary’s Solidarity Us 2025-07-23T02:04:54-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

No photographer mentioned: Icon Of Mary, The Joy Of All Who Sorrow / getarchive

Both Christ and his mother, Mary, are known for their compassion, for the way they love humanity. Both of them are concerned with the salvation of our souls but not to the exclusion of our bodies and the suffering we experience in and with them. They know the sorrows of life because they likewise experienced them, each in their own way. For example, Jesus wept when Lazarus died; his sorrow was real, as his friendship and love for Lazarus was real. Mary, who was predicted to suffer when she brought Jesus to the temple, suffered with Christ when he was tortured, when he was put up on the cross, and when he died. Both suffered various other hardships in the world, such as when Mary was at first questioned by Joseph for her pregnancy, or when, after Jesus was born, the holy family had to flee their homeland and become refugees in Egypt (where they were often treated with hostility and contempt by the Egyptian people). They also knew happiness and joy; suffering and joy are not exclusive to each other – indeed, those with great sorrow often try to find the little things in life to help them find some relief, some little joy in the midst of all their pain. And certainly, due to their holiness, to their purity, both Jesus and Mary have at their core a happiness which could not be taken away from them. They knew sorrow, but they knew a happiness and joy behind and beyond that sorrow; in their sorrows, they find themselves in solidarity with all who sorrow, all who suffer, especially those who suffer from the injustices of the world, even as they can, and often, give comfort and even a little joy to all those who sorrow.

Ivone Gebara and Maria Clara Bingemer present to us a way in which the assumption of Mary shows us what we will all experience in the resurrection to come. It follows from Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, with Mary’s assumption showing us, as a representation of us and all humanity, that we will all have our own share in the resurrection to come. Finally, as Jesus’ resurrection shows us the triumph of God’s love over sin, and the injustices which flow from such sin, so Mary’s assumption similarly shows us that God’s victory over sin and all the injustices it creates does not end with Jesus but continues in and with all of us:

Mary’s assumption, however, is intimately connected to Jesus’ resurrection. Both events of faith are about the same mystery: the triumph of God’s justice over human injustice, the victory of grace over sin. Just was proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus means continuing to announce his passion which continues in those who are crucified and suffer injustice in this world, by analogy, believing in Mary’s assumption means proclaiming that the woman who gave birth in a stable among animals, whose heart was pierced with a sword of sorrow, who shared in her son’s poverty, humiliation, persecution, and violent death, who stood at the foot of the cross, the mother of the condemned, has been exalted. Just as the crucified one is the risen one (see Acts 2:22-4), so the sorrowing one is the one assumed into heaven, the one in glory. She who, while a disciple herself, shared persecution, fear, and anxiety with other disciples in the early years of the church, is the same one who, after a death that was certainly humble and anonymous, was raised to heaven. [1]

Mary was taken to heaven and received her share of the resurrection of the dead; now, in heaven, experiencing the glory of the resurrection, and the deification which comes with it, she continues to comfort those in need. She did not lose her solidarity with those who sorrow, but rather, she embraces it even more. This is why she is known, throughout Christian history, as one who comforts and and brings joy to those who sorrow:

The assumption is the glorious culmination of the mystery of God’s preference for the poor, small, and unprotected in this world, so as to make God’s presence and glory shine there.[2]

Mary is the joy of all who sorrows, as indicated by several miraculous icons associated with her that bear that name – the joy of all who sorrow. They show Mary being flanked by the poor, the sick, those who are in need of help, with the implication being she will give it out of her great love for them. She has love for all of us, but especially, the least among us, those who have no one else to care for them. One of the icons bearing the name the joy of all who sorrw was in a chapel in St. Petersburg, which, on July 23, 1888, lightning struck, leaving only the icons and 12 coins from the poor box behind. Mysteriously, the coins somehow becoming attached to and a part of the icon itself. After news of what happened became known, believers made a pilgrimage to see the icon, considered it miraculous, with many of them having various maladies which were said to have been cured. Now, there are icons being made in the image of the miraculous icon of 1888, icons which now depict the coins found on the original, coins which have been given up and left behind while the poor, the suffering, the sorrowful, receive help and joy from Mary. She gives to them her love as she would with her son because in the poor, in those who are needy, in those who are full of sorrow, we encounter Christ her son:

Since Christ has identified Himself wholly with every man, in every one of his sad and most sorrowful states, the person who “does it to the least of his brethren” does it to Christ Himself—not “as if” to Christ, but to Christ in reality, for Christ is most truly within every man, and every man is the bearer of Christ, the “image of the invisible God” (Col 1.15).[3]

If we see Mary as a representative of humanity, of the way humanity can be and will be lifted up with Jesus and glorified in the eschatological kingdom of God, we should learn from her that those in heaven will continue to look after and care for the least among us. They will bring joy to those who sorrow. They will give love to those in need instead of looking down upon them. They have not cut themselves off from the rest of humanity, but rather, they have joined and connected themselves even more to every human person, thanks to that love. And if she represents what we should be like, then, we should, in our lives, likewise seek to bring joy to those who sorrow, helping those in need instead of adding to their sorrows.

[1] Ivone Gebara and Maria Clara Bingemer, Mary Mother of God, Mother of the Poor. Trans. Phillip Berryman (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1989), 120.

[2] Ivone Gebara and Maria Clara Bingemer, Mary Mother of God, Mother of the Poor, 120-21.

[3] Thomas Hopko, The Orthodox Faith. Volume 4: Spirituality (Yonkers, NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1981; rev. ed. 2016), 176.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.

General Christian

Women in Religion

History and Religion

Previous Post

July 21, 2025

How Long Will the Wicked Prosper? A Call For Reflection

Next Post

July 24, 2025 Pavel Florensky And The Golden Rule: Making Society Better

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Gosh, did that hit the spot. I have been having great anxiety lately. And I ..."

Mark Wilson

Rejecting Doom: Christian Hope And Human ..."

"Justice and peace are two sides of the same coin. Where there is justice, there ..."

Dr.Cajetan Coelho

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Thank you for your very, very powerful and very, very insightful analysis of the relationship ..."

alwayspuzzled

Justice First, Charity Beyond It: Serving ..."

"Given the amount of lethal malevolence that has prevailed in human history for the past ..."

alwayspuzzled

We Must Value Our Health

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz