On the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Daniel Klimek, reflects on the beginning of Mary’s pierced Heart, when she and St. Joseph searched for the child Jesus and found Him in the Temple. Jesus’ words, “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” revealed that His mission belonged first to the Father’s will. The Gospel tells us that Mary “kept all these things in her heart” — the pain, the confusion, the fear of losing her Son, and the mystery of His divine mission. In that moment, Mary began to carry the sorrow that would one day lead her to the foot of the Cross.
Mary’s pierced Heart reveals a suffering born from perfect love. Like the mystics who experienced estigmata — the visible or invisible wounds of Christ impressed upon the body or soul — Mary shared deeply in the Passion of her Son. When we unite our own suffering with Jesus Crucified and the Mother of Sorrows, our pain is not wasted. Mary suffers with us, consoles us, and helps transform our wounds into love, prayer, and offering.

Readings for June 13th 2026: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/memorial-immaculate-heart-blessed-virgin-mary