26. PRAYING THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY - THE CORONATION OF MARY

APPETIZER: "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored and the faithful fly to her for protection in all their dangers and needs. This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to God alone. The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such as the rosary, which is an epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin Mary." (see CCC #966, 971)

MAIN COURSE:  As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, she is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. As Jesus was to be king of all creation, Mary, in dependence on Jesus, was to be queen. As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving his Father and his fellow human beings, so Mary exercised her queenship through service to others and especially the disciples of her Son. As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time, so too does Mary, who upon her Assumption was crowned queen of heaven and earth.

In the fourth century Saint Ephrem, a Deacon and Doctor of the Church, who was a great author of prayers and hymns, called Mary “Lady” and “Queen.” Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use this title and expanded upon in various ways to honor Mary as queen, such as the popular prayer than many use to conclude the rosary: “Hail, Holy Queen".  Many other saints have also written prayer and books on Mary as Queen. St. Francis of Assisi (d. 1226 AD) was one of these and loved to honor her as "Queen of Angels", which is where Los Angeles, CA, gets its name.  St. Louis de Montfort (d. 1716 AD), the great teacher of True Devotion to Mary encouraged people to love Mary as Jesus did and honor her as "Queen of All Hearts".

But like all the mysteries of the rosary, they are not meant to be simply reflections on what was done for and by Jesus and Mary.  they are meant to teach us what God wishes to do for and with us, This mystery reminds us that we, too, shall be crowned with the glory in Heaven as a fitting conclusion to a life lived on earth in love and fidelity to Jesus Christ. This is the solid teaching of the New Testament regarding al Christians. Jesus promised that those who served him by serving others would reign with him in the kingdom of Heaven (see Matthew 25:31-45). St. Paul wrote of the crown of glory Christians shall receive upon being admitted into Heaven (see 1 Corinithians 9:25).

From November 29, 1932 to January 3, 1933, the Virgin Mary appeared 33 times to 5 children on the town of Bearing, Belgium with a message of prayer and peace. She identified herself as the Queen of Heaven appeared to the children showing her heart of gold and wearing a brilliant crown made up of golden beams of light.  The Church studied this visions extremely careful and declared them to be supernaturally authentic.  Just a few years later, Pope Pius XII established the feast of the Queenship of Mary in 1954 as a logical follow-up to the Assumption, and in our times it is celebrated one week after the Assumption on August 22.

I will close our last lesson with the text of the prayer that Pope Pius XII wrote for the occasion of establishing the feast expresses everything that it shelled mean to us as children of so loving a Mother and servants of such a merciful Queen.

From the depths of this valley of tears where sorrowing humanity makes weary progress,  we raise our eyes to you, O most beloved Mother Mary, to be comforted by the contemplation of your glory and to hail you as Queen of heaven and earth, Queen of mankind.  Reign, O Mother and Queen, by showing us the path of holiness and by guiding and assisting us that we may never stray from it.

So, too, reign over the entire human race, above all by opening the path of faith to those who do not yet know your Divine Son. Reign over the Church, which acknowledges and extols your gentle dominion and has recourse to you as a safe refuge amid the calamities of our day. Reign especially over that part of the Church which is persecuted and oppressed; give it strength to bear adversity, constancy never to yield under unjust compulsion, light to avoid falling into the snares of the enemy, firmness to resist overt attack, and at every moment unwavering faithfulness to your kingdom.

Reign over people’s minds, that they may seek only what is true; over their wills, that they may follow solely what is good; over their hearts, that they may love nothing but what you yourself love. Reign over individuals and over families, as well as over societies and nations; over the assemblies of the powerful, the counsels of the wise, as over the simple aspirations of the humble.

Reign in the streets and in the squares, in the cities and the villages, in the valleys and in the mountains, in the air, on land and on the sea; and hear the pious prayers of all those who recognize that yours is a reign of mercy, in which every petition is heard, every sorrow comforted, every misfortune relieved, every infirmity healed, and in which, at a gesture from your gentle hands, from death itself there arises smiling life.

Obtain for us that all who now in every corner of the world acclaim and hail you Queen and Lady may one day in heaven enjoy the fullness of your kingdom in the vision of your Divine Son, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, live and reign forever and ever. Amen. 

DOGGIE-BAG: A little something to take with you for spiritual snacking...

Holy Quotes...

"Mary has a right to be loved as Queen of all hearts so that through her, hearts would be cleansed and themselves become immaculate, similar and like her own heart, and so worthy of union with God.”  (St. Maximilian Kolbe, d. 1941 AD)

"God has made her queen of heaven and earth, leader of his armies, keeper of his treasure, dispenser of his graces, mediatrix on behalf of men, destroyer of his enemies and faithful associate." (St. Louis de Montfort, d. 1716 AD)

Franciscan Prayer of Mary Most Holy Queen 
Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,
Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.
You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven,
consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son 
and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.
On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace. Hail His Tabernacle. Hail His Robe.
Hail His Handmaid. Hail, His Mother.
and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 
are poured into the hearts of the faithful so that from their faithless state, 
they may be made faithful servants of God through you. Amen. (St. Francis of Assisi, d. 1226 AD)

Personal Prayer of Consecration 
to Mary my Queen

My Queen and my Mother, 
I give myself entirely to you; 
and to show my devotion to you, 
I consecrate to you this day my eyes, 
my ears, my mouth, my heart, 
my whole being without reserve. 
Wherefore, good Mother, 
as I am your own, 
keep me, guard me, 
as your property and possession. 
Amen.

Scripture Verse to Memorize: "A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head." (Revelation 12:1)