1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10; Psalm 96; Matthew 23:13-22
Believing, preaching and practicing are basic themes in Christianity. It is sad that today many persons are becoming gullible believers, preachers are on the increase but only a few are practicing. It was precisely because of this that Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in today’s gospel. Jesus called them blind guides because as leaders their style of life shut the kingdom of heaven against men. How are we different today?
Today the Church celebrates the Queenship of Mary – a woman that was very different in her days. In Luke 1: 32-33 Archangel Gabriel addressing Mary, said; “the Son will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. He will sit on the throne of his ancestor David” and that “He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Jesus is a King and in Israel the mother of a king is a queen. Mary therefore is a Queen.
Israel’s queen mother ruled the kingdom with considerable control. She is a Gebirah (queen mother), thus her power and authority come from that rather than from who she is as a person. In Israel, the queen mother predated her son’s existence, and she occasionally ruled in place of him.
Mary is the Queen of heaven and earth. Rev. 12:1-2 speaks about a great mysterious sight in the sky “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”. Again, Mary’s Queenship is implied in the dogmatic definition of her Assumption into heaven body and soul and exalted by the Lord as Queen of the universe that she might be conformed more fully to her Son, the Lord of lords and the conqueror of sin and death.” (Lumen Gentium, 59).
Mary is exalted because of her simplicity, humility and service. If we render humble and genuine service to God and man we shall be given the crown of unfading glory.
HAIL, HOLY QUEEN
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
