Seven Sacred Pools

 Mary in her suffering leads us to her son who gave his all for love of us. Below is an excerpt from my book “Divine Mercy Hikes”.

This trail will take you by the devils kitchen (sinkhole) and the seven sacred pools which are great geological features to reflect on the grace of purgatory and the seven sacraments.  While at the seven sacred pools:: Notice that the water must flow from the first pool fill it and then in succession the second pool is filled. Similarly grace fills our life where one virtue will complete us enough to overflow to the next. With this concept in mind we will review the seven sorrows of the Mother of God and emulate the virtue she had in them; seeing that we must be filled with grace from one pool to the other in secession.

O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

While meditating on the first pool ask our Lady to pray to her son to fill us with the grace of Humility.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the affliction of your tender heart at the prophecy of the holy and aged Simeon. Dear Mother, by your heart so afflicted, obtain for me the virtue of humility and the gift of the holy fear of God. Hail Mary…

After we have filled our spirit with the grace of humility now let us ask our Lady to pray that her son fill us with the grace of Generosity.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the anguish of your most affectionate heart during the flight into Egypt and your sojourn there. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of generosity, especially toward the poor, and the gift of piety. Hail Mary…

Moving to the third pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of the Gift of Chastity.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in those anxieties which tried your troubled heart at the loss of your dear Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart so full of anguish, obtain for me the virtue of chastity and the gift of knowledge. Hail Mary…

Moving to the fourth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Patience.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the consternation of your heart at meeting Jesus as He carried His Cross. Dear Mother, by your heart so troubled, obtain for me the virtue of patience and the gift of fortitude. Hail Mary…

Moving to the fifth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Temperance.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the martyrdom which your generous heart endured in standing near Jesus in His agony. Dear Mother, by your afflicted heart obtain for me the virtue of temperance and the gift of counsel. Hail Mary…

Moving to the sixth pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Understanding and Love.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, in the wounding of your compassionate heart, when the side of Jesus was struck by the lance before His Body was removed from the Cross. Dear Mother, by your heart thus transfixed, obtain for me the virtue of fraternal charity and the gift of understanding. Hail Mary…

Moving to the seventh pool let us ask our Lady to ask her son to fill us with the grace of Wisdom.

I grieve for you, O Mary most sorrowful, for the pangs that wrenched your most loving heart at the burial of Jesus. Dear Mother, by your heart sunk in the bitterness of desolation, obtain for me the virtue of diligence and the gift of wisdom. Hail Mary…

Let Us Pray:

Let intercession be made for us, we beseech You, O Lord Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death, before the throne of Your mercy, by the Blessed Virgin Mary, Your Mother, whose most holy soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the hour of Your bitter Passion. Through You, O Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns world without end. Amen.