Ez 28:1-10; Mt 19:23-30
In 1954, Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary. Traditionally, the Church has considered Mary as the queen alluded in the book of Revelations: “A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (12:1).
The title Queen is applied to the Blessed Virgin because of her close relationship with Jesus: her maternal relationship to him and her vital role in his work of redemption. The Church believes that in heaven, Mary properly is seated beside her Son, the King of glory. Vatican II teaches: “When her earthly life was over,” Mary was “exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son (LG 59).
Nowadays, some theologians are reluctant to apply the title “queen” to the Blessed Virgin Mary. They believe that this honorary title is a thing of the past which is not appropriate for the unassuming persona of Mary in the New Testament. They also are anxious that the title “queen” would project Mary as someone who enjoyed privileges, not as someone who gave her life for the service of God.
Here, it is important to highlight what Pope Pius XII taught in the Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam. The pope made it clear that the queenship of Mary should not be understood as a political or imperial position. Mary’s queenship is one of love and service, not pomp and power, as is said about the kingship of her Son.
Christ is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rv 19:16). However, he is not a king according to the categories of this world because he reigns from the cross, not from the throne (Jn 18:36). In fact, while on earth, the King served his subjects like a good shepherd to his flock. He washed their feet (Jn 13:4-5) and gave his life for them (Jn 3:16).
Mary is queen because she is the perfect disciple of our Lord. She spent her earthly life doing God’s will (Lk 1:38) and serving those who are in need of help (Lk 1:39; Jn 2:3). Thus, when we praise Mary as queen, we always bear in mind that we honor her for her love and service for God and for people. She always is our shining example as we relate with God and with each other.
In 1954, Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary. Traditionally, the Church has considered Mary as the queen alluded in the book of Revelations: “A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (12:1).
The title Queen is applied to the Blessed Virgin because of her close relationship with Jesus: her maternal relationship to him and her vital role in his work of redemption. The Church believes that in heaven, Mary properly is seated beside her Son, the King of glory. Vatican II teaches: “When her earthly life was over,” Mary was “exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son (LG 59).
Nowadays, some theologians are reluctant to apply the title “queen” to the Blessed Virgin Mary. They believe that this honorary title is a thing of the past which is not appropriate for the unassuming persona of Mary in the New Testament. They also are anxious that the title “queen” would project Mary as someone who enjoyed privileges, not as someone who gave her life for the service of God.
Here, it is important to highlight what Pope Pius XII taught in the Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam. The pope made it clear that the queenship of Mary should not be understood as a political or imperial position. Mary’s queenship is one of love and service, not pomp and power, as is said about the kingship of her Son.
Christ is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Rv 19:16). However, he is not a king according to the categories of this world because he reigns from the cross, not from the throne (Jn 18:36). In fact, while on earth, the King served his subjects like a good shepherd to his flock. He washed their feet (Jn 13:4-5) and gave his life for them (Jn 3:16).
Mary is queen because she is the perfect disciple of our Lord. She spent her earthly life doing God’s will (Lk 1:38) and serving those who are in need of help (Lk 1:39; Jn 2:3). Thus, when we praise Mary as queen, we always bear in mind that we honor her for her love and service for God and for people. She always is our shining example as we relate with God and with each other.
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