THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

FEAST DAY OF THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - Transferred from May 31

The Virgin Mary having been elevated to the dignity of Mother of the King of Kings, the holy Catholic Church gives her the title of Queen, and wishes that all her children should salute her in that quality. "If the Son be King, says St. Athanasius, why should not the Mother be Queen?" '' From the moment that Mary consented to become the Mother of God," says St. Bernardine of Sienna, "she merited to receive Sovereignty over all creatures." "Mary and Jesus having but one same flesh," says St. Arnand, Abbot, "why should not the Mother enjoy, conjointly with the son, the honors of Royalty; nay this glory of Jesus Christ is not only common to his most holy Mother, but it is the same for both." Mary is then Queen of the universe, since Jesus is its King; thus as St. Bernardine again observes, "as many creatures as obey God, so many obey the glorious Virgin, everything in heaven and on earth, which is subject to God, is also under the empire of His most holy Mother!!" "Reign, O Mary," says the Abbot of Guerric, "Dispose at pleasure of the goods of your son; power and dominion belong to the Mother and Spouse of the King of Kings." Mary is Queen, but let us tell Christians for their consolation, that she is a Queen full of clemency and Sweetness, and only occupied in assuaging the miseries of her subjects. "The word Queen" says Albertus Magnus," "signifies compassion and care of the poor, whereas the word Empress means rigor and severity." "Kings and Queens, says Seneca, "manifest their great ness in succoring the unfortunate, hence it is that at their coronation, oil, the symbol of mercy is diffused on the head justice, since they are obliged to punish the guilty. Yet this is not the case with Mary; she is Queen of mercy alone; she is a Sovereign, not to punish sinners, but to pardon and forgive them. Writing on those words [of the Psalmist]: "I have learned two things, power belongs to God, and mercy to the Lord; Gerson observes, that as the Kingdom of God consists in Mercy and Justice, the Lord has as it were divided it, reserving to himself, the dominion of justice, and yielding to His Mother that of mercy. St. Thomas confirms this explanation, when he says in his preface to the Canonical Epistles, that one half of the Kingdom of God was given to Mary when she conceived and brought forth the eternal Word, so that she became Queen of mercy, as her Son is King of justice. A learned interpreter, writing on this verse of the Psalm, "Lord give thy judgment to the King, and thy justice to the King's son" says to God, "Lord you have given justice to the King your Son, because you have reserved mercy for the Queen his Mother. St. Bonaventure, and Ernest, Archbishop of Prague, explain this verse in nearly the same terms. "The Lord has anointed you with an oil of gladness" says David, speaking prophetically of Mary. The holy Virgin has indeed then received from God, a sacred unction to heal the wounds of the guilty sons of Adam. Albertus Magnus says, that Mary was prefigured by Queen Esther, of whom we read in the holy Scripture, that she had been raised to the throne for the preservation of her brethren, the Jewish people. What Mordechai said to this woman, poor sinners may address to Mary. Imagine not omnipotent and ever glorious Virgin, that God has elevated you to the dignity of Queen, merely for your personal honor and advantage, but rather that you may mediate, and obtain pardon for men, your offending brethren: and if Assuerus heard the petition of Es ther through love, will not God who has an infinite love for Mary, fling away at her suit the thunderbolts which he was going to hurl on wretched sinners? When coming before the throne she says, my King and my God, if I have found favor in your sight, (and she well knows that among all the children of Eve, she is the only one who has found the grace forfeited by our first parents,) give me the life of my people; save those sinners whose cause I advocate. And will God reject her prayer? Is it not of her it was said," the law of clemency is on her lips?" Indeed every petition she offers is as a law emanating from the Lord, by which he obliges himself to be merciful to those for whom she intercedes. St. Bernard asking the question, why the Church calls Mary Queen of mercy, answers it himself by saying, it is because she opens at pleasure the abyss of the divine mercy, so that no sinner, however enormous his crimes may be, can perish if he is protected by Mary. But perhaps the immaculate holiness of this Virginal Queen terrifies you and hinders you from approaching her, sullied as you are with innumerable crimes. Ah no says St. Gregory, fear nothing, the more holy is Mary, the more elevated in glory, the more sweet and merciful she is towards the sinner who wishes to be converted. Mary not only gives, but offers to all men without exception milk and wool; the milk of mercy, and the wool of her inter cession, the former to reanimate our confidence, and the latter as a rampart against the thunders of Almighty Vengeance. Suetonius recounts, that the Emperor Titus never refused any petition presented to him, and when reproached for it by his courtiers, he used to say, that a Prince should not dismiss any one dissatisfied. This at most was but a vain show of clemency, for often he could not keep his word from inability, or unwillingness to grant the desired favor. But it is not so with Mary, she disappoints no one; she can do all she promises, and she does not want the will; none depart from her presence dis contented. "Mary," says St. Bernard to her, " how can you refuse to assist poor sinners, since you are a Queen of mercy? Who are the subjects of mercy but the miser able? Hence being the most miserable of all sinners, I am the first of your subjects, and you should take more care of me than the rest.

Prayer to Our Queen of Heaven

Pity us then Queen of mercy, and think of our salvation: say not (that I may use the expression of St. Gregory of Nicomedia,) that our sins render us unworthy of your aid, for your clemency surpasses our malice. Nothing resists your power, because the Creator of all, honors you as his Mother, making your glory his own. Queen of heaven and earth! Mother of God! My sovereign mistress! I present myself before you as a poor mendicant before a mighty Queen. From the height of your throne deign to cast your eyes on a miserable sinner, and lose not sight of him, till you render him truly holy. O illustrious Virgin! You are Queen of the universe, and consequently mine; I de sire then to consecrate myself more particularly to your service, dispose of me according to your good pleasure; direct me, I abandon myself wholly to your conduct, never more let me be guided by myself; chastise me if I disobey you; your correction will be sweet and agreeable; I am then no longer mine; I am all yours, save me!