Mary, Mother of Sorrows

• Share with the young people information about the Black Plague and how it affected religious history.
• Say: During the Black Plague, people believed they were helpless to survive a disease that had no remedy. Crucifixes depicted Jesus as having died from the plague ("plague crosses"). People also increased devotions to Mary, Mother of Sorrows, whose heart was pierced seven times during her life.
• Have the young people look up the following Bible passages and match them with the correct answer.

1. Matthew 2:13-18
2. John 19:38-42
3. Luke 23:47-55
4. Luke 2:33-35
5. Luke 2:41-50
6. John 19:25-27
7. Mark 15:16-22

a. Jesus taken down from the cross
b. Mary at the foot of the cross
c. The flight into Egypt
d. The prophecy of Simeon
e. Leaving Jesus behind in the Temple in Jerusalem
f. The burial of Jesus
g. Meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary

Answers: 1. c; 2. f; 3. a; 4. d; 5. e; 6. b; 7. g

• Have volunteers share their answers.