St. Simeon's prophecy

In this valley of tears every man is born to weep, and all must suffer by enduring the evils which are of daily occurence. But how much greater would the misery of life be, did we also know the future evils which await us! "Unfortunate, indeed, would his lot be," says Seneca, "who, knowing the future, would have to suffer all by anticipation."

The Lord shows us this mercy — He conceals the trials that await us, that, whatever they may be, we may endure them but once. He did not show Mary this compassion; for she, whom God willed to be the Queen of Sorrows, and in all things like His Son, had always before her eyes, and continually suffered, all the torments that awaited her; and these were the sufferings of the Passion and Death of her beloved Jesus; for in the Temple, St. Simeon, having received the Divine Child into his arms, foretold to her that her Son would be a mark for all the persecutions and opposition of men. Behold, this child is set... for a sign which shall be contradicted. And, therefore, that a sword of sorrow should pierce her soul. And thy own soul a sword shall pierce (Luke ii. 34, 35).

The Blessed Virgin herself told St. Matilda, that, on this announcement of St. Simeon, "all her joy was changed into sorrow." For, as it was revealed to St. Teresa, though the Blessed Mother already knew that the life of her Son would be sacrificed for the salvation of the world, yet she then learnt more distinctly and in greater detail the sufferings and cruel death that awaited her poor Son. She knew He would be contradicted, and contradicted in everything — contradicted in His doctrines; for, instead of being believed, He would be esteemed a blasphemer for teaching that He was the Son of God. This He was declared to be by the impious Caiphas, saying: He hath blasphemed, he is guilty of death (Matt. xxvi. 65). He was Wisdom itself and was treated as ignorant: How doth this man know letters, having never learned? (Jo. vii. 15). As a false prophet: And they blindfolded him, and smote his face... saying: Prophesy, who is it that struck thee? (Luke xxii. 64). He was treated as a madman: He is mad, why hear you him (Jo. x. 20). As a drunkard, a glutton, and a friend of sinners: Behold the man that is a glutton, and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners (Luke vii. 34). As a sorcerer: By the prince of devils he casteth out devils (Matt. ix. 34). As a heretic, and possessed by the evil spirit: Do we not say well of thee that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil? (Jo. viii. 48). In a word, Jesus was considered so notoriously wicked, that, as the Jews said to Pilate, no trial was necessary to condemn Him. If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to thee (Jo. xviii. 30). He was contradicted in His very soul; for even His Eternal Father, to give place to divine justice, contradicted Him, by refusing to hear His prayer, when He said: Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me (Matt. xxvi. 39); and abandoned Him to fear, weariness, and sadness; so that our afflicted Lord exclaimed: My soul is sorrowful even unto death! (Ib. 38); and His interior sufferings even caused Him to sweat Blood. Contradicted and persecuted, in fine, in all His body and all through His life; for He was tortured in all His sacred members, in His hands, His feet, His face, His head, and His whole body; so that, drained of His Blood, and an object of scorn, He died of torments on an ignominious Cross.

When David, in the midst of all his pleasures and regal grandeur, heard from the Prophet Nathan, that his son should die — The child that is born to thee shall surely die (2 Kings xii. 14), he could find no peace, but wept, fasted, and slept on the ground. Mary with the greatest calmness received the announcement that her Son should die, and always peacefully submitted to it; but what grief must she continually have suffered, seeing this amiable Son always near her, hearing from Him words of eternal life, and witnessing His holy demeanour!

Abraham suffered much during the three days he passed with his beloved Isaac, after knowing that he was to lose him. O God, not for three days, but for three and thirty years had Mary to endure a like sorrow! But do I say a like sorrow? It was as much greater as the Son of Mary was more lovely than the son of Abraham.