Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. You won’t hear special readings for this feast, though the prayers in the Mass reference this. So today’s readings are for Tuesday in the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time. This feast comes one week after the Assumption. It is such an important principle that I want to help you understand and explain it. So, following is a chapter from A Minute in the Church Volume II.
Mary – Queen of Heaven
The Catholic Church refers to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven. “How can this be?” say the detractors. “Jesus is our King and He never married. So how can there be a queen?” A look into the Scriptures tells the story.
Jesus came to sit on the throne of David for eternity. In the Davidic kingdom, there was a throne at the right of the king’s throne that was reserved for the queen. Only here, it was not reserved for any wife of the king, but for the king’s mother.
We see this in 1 Kings 2:19 – “Then Solomon sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king’s mother, who sat at his right.” This throne for the Queen Mother was a fixture in the kingdom of David. Throughout 1 and 2 Kings, as each new king ascends to the throne of David, the Queen Mother is listed. As Jesus occupies His throne in heaven, the fulfillment of the Davidic kingdom, so His mother, Mary, sits on a throne at His right.
In 1 Kings 2:20, the Queen Mother wishes to ask her son a favor. “Ask it, my mother,” the king said to her, “for I will not refuse you.” This is why Catholics seek the intercession of Mary. Jesus will never refuse His mother.
For further study
1 Kings 2:19-20
As mentioned, the Queen Mothers are listed throughout 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles
Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, amen.
To learn more about Mary, and so many other Catholic teachings, get all four volumes of A Minute in the Church today at www.GusLloyd.com.
Excellent explanation of this, thank you Gus!
God bless you and your family.
Thank you Gus. Only a week ago, I witnessed significant “name-calling” on a Catholic site over Our Lady’s message about praying the rosary. From how were are “obligated” to pray the rosary to how doing so is a form of “idolatry.” Much misunderstand about her role and many titles.
I don’t know if you will include it, but here is a link to today’s Mass. I believe that Fr. Andiy’s Homily (at the 6:20 minuet mark) complements your explanation nicely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYJ_fOqBvoo