22 August is the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  On 11 October 1954, Pope Pius XII established the Feast of the Queenship of Mary to be celebrated throughout the world, and commanded that on that day each year, the world should renew its consecration to her. 

But Mary’s Queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord”.  As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, she is closely associated with Jesus: Her Queenship is a share in Jesus’ Kingship.  We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.   On the day of her Assumption, Mary our Mother was solemnly crowned by Christ and received by the whole court of Heaven as Queen.   What Christ has done in Heaven and the Church has done on our behalf we should now do individually, that is, we should recognise Mary's Queenship, enthrone her in our homes, consecrate ourselves to her and, by this means, establish in our lives the reign of Mary Immaculate Queen of the Universe.

O Mary Immaculate Queen, glorious Queen of the Universe, most powerful Virgin, merciful Mother of a merciful God and refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thy Royal and Immaculate Heart.

As St Paul suggests in Romans 8:28–30, God has predestined human beings from all eternity to share the image of his Son.  All the more was Mary predestined to be the Mother of Jesus.  As Jesus was to be King of All Creation, Mary, in dependence on Jesus, was to be Queen.  All other titles to queenship derive from this eternal intention of God.  As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving his Father and his fellow human beings, so did Mary exercise her queenship.  As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our King till the end of time (Matthew 28:20), so does Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth.

Prayer

O Mary Immaculate Queen, look down upon this distressed and suffering world. You know our misery and our weakness. O You who are our Mother, save us in the hour of peril, have compassion on us in these days of great and heavy trial.    Jesus has confided to you the treasure of His Grace, and through you He wills to grant us pardon and mercy. In these hours of anguish, therefore, your children come to you as their hope.   We recognise your Queenship and ardently desire your triumph.  We need a Mother and a Mother's Heart. You are for us the luminous dawn which dissipates our darkness and points out the way to life.  In your clemency obtain for us the courage and the confidence of which we have such need.

Most Holy and Adorable Trinity, You who did crown with glory in Heaven the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Saviour, grant that all her children on earth may acknowledge her as their Sovereign Queen, that all hearts, homes, and nations may recognise her rights as Mother and as Queen.  Amen

Sr Miriam da Luz spc

Photo © Fr Lawrence Lew OP | Used with permission.