Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary


Exhortation Extending the Feast of the Assumption- Marialis Cultus[1]

Readings for the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible (alternate readings)

Commentary:*

·
Today we are offered two options for the readings the first is provided by the USCCB site, the second by Universalis in the UK.

Reading 1 Jgs 9:6-15

In this passage from Judges, Jotham uses the analogy of trees selecting a leader to reflect upon the process used by the citizens of Shechem in selecting Abimelech their king and ignoring the line of the sons of Gideon who were faithful to God. The warning at the end of his analogy is explained in subsequent verses.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

In this psalm of praise, the faithful king is honored. This song contrasts with the actions of the citizens of Shechem above who selected an unfaithful king in Abimelech.

Gospel Mt 20:1-16

The parable of the Laborers Hired Late continues the dialogue from Matthew’s Gospel yesterday in which the same moral was expressed “the last will be first, and the first will be last.” The inference here changes slightly in that while in yesterday’s Gospel the Lord referred to those who would follow him into eternal life, today he broadens the scope to imply that those called later to faithful service would receive the same reward as those first called.

Alternate Readings for the Memorial of the Queenship
of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading 1
Isaiah 9:1 - 6

The Prophet Isaiah predicts the coming of the Messiah and the great blessing he will provide. The last paragraph is most descriptive in that it gives us the “child born for us, a son given to us” (out of the Virgin Mary) that will bring peace to the world.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 113: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever.

This song of praise is directed at those who serve the Lord. The praise of the Lord is always on the servants lips.

Gospel
Luke 1:26 - 38

From St. Luke’s Gospel we hear the Archangel Gabriel announce to Mary that she has “won God’s favor” and has been chosen to bare the Son of God. In spite of her fear of the circumstances, she accepts this charge, humbly with the words; “I am the handmaid of the Lord,” and “let what you have said be done to me.”

Reflection:

The Church's reflection today on the mystery of Christ and on her own nature has led her to find at the root of the former and as a culmination of the latter the same figure of a woman: the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ and the Mother of the Church. And the increased knowledge of Mary's mission has become joyful veneration of her and adoring respect for the wise plan of God, who has placed within His family (the Church), as in every home, the figure of a Woman, who in a hidden manner and in a spirit of service watches over that family "and carefully looks after it until the glorious day of the Lord."

-His Holiness Pope Paul VI

We look at these words of Pope Paul VI, written in 1974 and find the truth in them today. Our devotion the Mary is so misunderstood by those of other Christian denominations. If only they would look at how we see her, pointing us to her Son with a simple and humble faith we pray we can emulate.

Our love of Mary, Queen of Heaven, first among all the saints, comes from the fact that she accepted God’s call from the beginning, knowing that the path would be difficult, accepting the sacrifice willingly and obediently. Her reign in Heaven must be one of servant leadership because that was her role from the beginning. It was through her acquiescence to God , “I am the handmaid of the Lord”, that our Lord and Savior came into the world and God’s promise was revealed.

Today we recall Mary, Theotokis, the Mother of God as she points to her Son and through him to the Father. We honor her as first in heaven as she was first to believe on earth. We thank God for his selection of her as Queen of Heaven.

Pax

[1] The picture used today is Mary, Queen of Heaven by Master of the St. Lucy Legend, 1485-1500
[2] After Links to Readings Expire

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