MARY, OUR QUEEN MOTHER - 8/21/22 (Memorial of The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Luke 1:28,32-33,38

And coming to her, he said,

"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end."

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0822-memorial-queenship-mary.cfm

Blessed Memorial of The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary! Today, we are commemorating our Mother Mary who is both the queen of heaven and earth. She is also the queen of angels and all the saints. There are numerous instances in the Scriptures that show the royalty of Mary as our Queen. In the gospel reading for this memorial, St. Gabriel approached the Blessed Virgin Mary and greeted her saying, "Hail, full of grace." Like how a person praises a queen by saying "hail", this is also seen with the praise of the angel towards our Mother. Though in terms of nature, the angels are above human beings, but in terms of grace, the Blessed Virgin Mary excels that of angels. When Gabriel said, "Hail, full of grace", God is showing us that the holiness and purity of Mary exceeds that of angels, which is why it's fitting that she is raised to Queenship. 

In the time of Davidic Kingdom, the mother of the king was the person who was considered as the queen. The Kingdom of David represents the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, both in heaven and on earth. God predestined the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the very beginning, to be the Mother of Jesus Christ, whose Kingdom will never end. This is why God made Mary full of grace and without any stain of sin to be worthy of becoming the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven and Earth. In Revelation 12:1-2, the passage which is read last Solemnity of the Bodily Assumption of Mary, shows that the Mother of Christ is crowned in heaven. As such, it's fitting for the Church to celebrate this memorial 8 days after the Solemnity. For more biblical evidence of the Queenship of Mary, there is an article below this reflection that gives fuller explanation of it. So, what are some of the things we can do to love our Queen Mother? 

First, Jesus wants us to be reminded of the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary in our lives. She is not a Queen who doesn't care about us and lives in a very distant kingdom. Rather, Mary is our Queen Mother who reigns with Christ and who takes care of us with her maternal care and powerful intercession. This is why she is also described as "our life" in the "Hail, Holy Queen'' prayer. She is the instrument of eternal life and graces from God, and our King Jesus will never refuse her prayers for us. Let's be reminded to ask for her help during the times that we are tempted to commit sin or in distress. Like thr Archangel Gabriel, may we show reverence and praise to her. One of the greatest ways of praising her is by praying to Mary, especially the Angelic Salutation or the "Hail Mary'' prayer, with devotion and attention. And, may we also show honor towards her images and statues as a representation of our love for her. Through this, we can remember that our Mother is always on our side. 

Second, God desires for us to imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If there is one thing that summarizes her spirituality, it is doing the will of God. This is why our Mother said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Even though there were uncertainties, she still believed in God with pure faith. Even though they were being threatened by King Herod when Jesus was born, she still trusted in God. Even when she saw the sufferings and death of her beloved Son, she remained hopeful in the promise of salvation and offered herself to God's will. She is our "sweetness" because she will help us to accept God's will, even if they are truly difficult, and make the Cross sweeter for us. She is our "hope" because her life and queenship in heaven gives us hope of everlasting life with God in His Kingdom. Through her prayers, we may attain the glory that is promised to us in the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Article on Mary's Queenship in the Bible:

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/is-marys-queenship-biblical

Amazing Testimony on Rosary:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FFyRwJBExMk

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/