Today we celebrate the feast of the Queenship of Mary.  It is a day where we honor the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.  Today’s celebration of Mary’s Queenship concludes the octave of the Assumption.  It is certainly very fitting that within a week’s time we honor two glorious events in the life of Mary: her Assumption and Coronation.  Mary’s Assumption reminds us of the grace-filled life she lived and her Queenship is a share in the kingship of Jesus.  Certainly, her title of queen is appropriate as she was free from the stain of Original Sin and the mother of God.

Pope Pius XII who established this feast in 1954 points out in his papal encyclical To the Queen of Heaven that Mary deserves this title because she is the Mother of God and closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work because of her preeminent perfection and her intercessory prayer.  As Queen of Heaven and Earth, it is Mary who intercedes on our behalf and brings our petitions directly to her Son.  We ought to find great comfort in knowing this because throughout history it was the mother of a king who had a great influence in the royal court.  The same holds true in the royal court of heaven.  Mary has a great influence in heaven.  We get a glimpse of her influence at the wedding feast in Cana.  If the Lord was willing to grant her request then, won’t He do the same in heaven?  Certainly, He is not going to deny the requests of His mother, our Queen.

 

 

 

PRAYER ON MARY’S FEASTS

Blessed Virgin Mary,

Jesus gave you to me as my Mother

when He was dying on the Cross.

I want to love you as Jesus did.

I pray to you in these words:

Hail Mary, full of grace!

The Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit

of your womb, Jesus,

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour

of our death. Amen.