The Holy Gospel according to Luke (1:26-38).
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Reflection: Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This Gospel is for this Memorial. In 1954, Pope Pius XII instituted this memorial, “so that all may clearly recognize and more zealously venerate the kind and maternal rule of the “Mother of God”.” This Memorial is celebrated on the octave of the Feast of the Assumption, which we celebrated a week ago. If Mary is taken body and soul into heaven, it is fitting that she is crowned Queen next to her Son, the King of Kings. This is also something we reflect on when we pray the rosary. The last mystery of the Glorious Mysteries is the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven. Why is the Blessed Virgin Mary a queen? We know it is not about power or privilege, which is how the world sees a queen. With Mary, her crown is about humility, obedience, and love. This is what we hear in today’s Gospel, Mary’s “yes” to God at the Annunciation. Mary tells the angel Gabriel, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
Mary is Queen because she stood by her Son, sharing in His suffering and standing at the foot of the Cross. In Mary’s Magnificat, she proclaims, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.” Mary knows her queenship comes only from God. Mary is our motherly Queen. She intercedes for us, protects us, and guides us to her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Mary never points to herself, only to her Son.
Action for the Day: The “Hail, Mary” is a prayer that we pray often. Most of the time, we pray it out of routine. The last part of this prayer is, “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for US sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” Today, reflect on this last part of the Hail Mary. The Queen of Heaven is praying for US sinners, right now and at the hour of our death.
Audio Reflection:
