Seven Sorrows on May Day...

A couple of months ago, I posted pictures of my rosaries, with each having seven beads attached @ the end, just before the centerpiece. These seven beads I use to remind myself to pray, every day after I finish the Holy Rosary, the meditations on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady of Sorrows.
They are:
The Prophecy of Simeon
The Flight into Egypt
The Losing of Jesus in the Temple
Meeting Jesus on the Way of the Cross
Standing @ the Foot of the Cross
Taking Jesus down from the Cross
The Burial of Jesus.
I was @ Mass this afternoon, and I stayed afterwards for the Divine Mercy Chaplet, which, in my parish, is offered after every Holy Mass (we say the Holy Rosary before each Mass). As I fingered the beads, sitting and gazing upon the Crucifix over the altar, it dawned on me that with today being the beginning of Our Lady's Spring month, it would do very nicely to meditate upon Her Sorrows...so I decided to post them here.
I realize, of course, that we are well beyond the Easter of our year...that He is risen, be joyful! He has shown Himself to all those of Faith, be at peace!
But there is nothing wrong with remembering what Our Lady suffered during His Passion, indeed, during His entire life, which qualifies Her for the eternal glory and happiness which was His pleasure to bestow upon Her.
And especially during this "happy time" I am prone to give way to my innermost desire of focusing on the blessed events that have followed the Rising of Christ from the dead, the Pentecost in our near future, and the glorious Ascension into Heaven in just a few short weeks. I am at peace; I made my Divine Mercy Novena, I have been forgiven and granted a new life in Him! All is well...
But as I pray my daily prayers, once again that seven-bead attachment beckons me to pray with Our Lady the Seven Hail Marys of Her Dolors ~ to remember all that went on before the bliss of the Resurrection.
When Our Blessed Mother gave us the devotion to Her in meditating upon these Seven Sorrows, She promised that, to those who will follow Her wishes here:

1. I will grant peace to their families.
2.They will be enlightened about the Divine mysteries.
3. I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.
4. I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my Divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.
5. I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.
6. I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.
7. I have obtained this Grace from my Divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

I must admit that, like most people, I tend to remember the Promises made in order to induce me to follow a certain devotion. This is one such case, in my life...but now that I have been doing this for some time, I can honestly say that the Promises are not the main focus of my endeavors.
Oh, sure, I want to go straight to Heaven when I die ~ who doesn't?!? And I do wish to be enlightened as to the Divine mysteries ~ don't you?!? I would love to have Our Lady's consolations during my daily struggles to cope with daily duties, daily prayers, practicing the virtues and offering penance, etc.! Who wouldn't?!? And to be granted all that I ask, as long as it coincides with the Divine Will for my own salvation?!? Who could ask for more than that!?! To have Her protection against Satan...a dream come true!! And to see Her as She is, as I lie on my deathbed, to be able to exclaim, like St. Bernadette, "O how I love thee!"
But receiving the graces promised are but a side highlight of my prayer.
I wish to honor my holy Mother. I wish to wipe away Her tears. I wish, with all my heart, to spread the news of Her Sorrows for Her Son, Her sorrows for Her children all over the world ~ and to show in my daily life what I have learned. I wish, more than anything, to bring souls to Him, through Her, and to show why He did what He did to everyone and anyone who asks me.
I wish, most of all, to show by my own life and example, what it means to live the life of a good Catholic wife and mother, one who can put her own sympathies with the Mother of us all...and bring those Promises to others by living a life that reflects the Sorrows, the Joys and the eternal Blessings of God the Father, Who pulls from His own pocket all that He wishes to grant the souls of His children.
Every time I sin, I hurt the Immaculate Heart of my Mother Mary. I gravely wound the Sacred Heart of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So, let it be known that, as of this day and insofar as I am able *better and more than I have done til now*, I intend to do what I can to let others see in me a heart that reflects the Hearts of the Two Who gave all that They had to save my soul...and the least I can do to repay Them is to offer this soul right back to Them.