Preparation for the feast of the Queenship of Our Lady: Day Three

Ave Maria!

Reflection.

Excerpts from 'Mirror of the Blessed Virgin' by St. Bonaventure OFM

The Lord is with thee, O Lady most dear to the Lord, most intimate with the Lord! The Lord is with thee, O most well-fitted Lady, most worthy of the Lord! The Lord is with thee: with thee most certainly, according to what has been said above, as the sun is with the dawn which precedes it, as the flower is with the stem which produces it, as the king is with the queen entering into his palace.

Mary is that Queen entering in, of whom it is said that the queen entered into Jerusalem with a great company and with riches (3 Kings, X, 1.) Truly Mary is a queen. St. Augustine says: "We truly confess her to be the Queen of Heaven, because she brought forth the King of angels." I have spoken of this Queen in my sermon, "The Queen stood, etc."; therefore, I will now speak of her entrance. We are to consider, therefore, that we find Mary going in, going forth, going on, and going above. Her going forth was of nature, her progress was of grace, her entrance was into glory, her elevation was in abundance. She went forth by being born, she progressed by advancing in grace and virtue, she entered in by attaining, she surpassed all by her sanctity. She went forth without sin, she made progress beyond all example, she entered in without obstacle, she surpassed all without limits.

For what could have opposed such a great queen advancing with so great a retinue? She was prefigured by the Queen of Saba, of whom it is said: "Entering into Jerusalem with a great train, and riches, and camels that carried spices, and an immense quantity of gold and precious stones" (3 Kings X, 2.) Consider in these words the glory of Mary entering into the heavenly Jerusalem. Consider, I say, the excellence of her who enters, her power and her wealth. Consider the excellence of the primacy of our Queen Mary, insomuch as she is compared to the Queen of Saba, which signifies a cry. For Mary is the Queen of the world, where there is a cry of mourning. She is also the Queen of Heaven, where there is a cry of joy. For the dwellers in Heaven cry out, as it is said in the Apocalypse: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!" And this Queen of those who cry out ceases not herself to cry out with the others, as St. Augustine says: "Thou, O Mary, fellow-citizen of the inhabitants of Heaven, being endlessly associated with the angels and archangels, ceasest not to cry out with untiring voice: "Holy, holy, holy!" She indeed is the queen whom the Psalmist describes, saying: "The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing, surrounded with variety" (Ps. XLIV, 10.) All can follow this Queen with confidence into the kingdom who have faithfully served her in this world. St. Bernard says: "Our Queen has gone before us: she has gone before us and has been so gloriously received that her servants may confidently cry out: 'Draw me after thee.' "Likewise consider in the entering in of our Queen the power of the retinue accompanying her, for it says: "with a multitudinous retinue." Mary entered into the heavenly Jerusalem with a multitudinous retinue of angelic powers. St. Jerome says: "We read how the angels have come to the death and burial of some of the Saints, and how they have accompanied the souls of the elect to Heaven with hymns and praises." And he adds: "How much more should we believe that the heavenly army, with all its bands, came forth rejoicing in festive array, to meet the Mother of God, 57 surrounded her with effulgent light, and led her with praises and canticles to the throne prepared for her from the beginning of the world."

Prayer.

I rejoice, oh almighty Trinity, for the glory granted to Mary by making her the Mother of God.

O most sweet Mother of God, let me know that I too, by fulfilling the Will of God in every instant of my life, become a little mother of the Redeemer because Jesus himself said, "Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is for me brother, sister and mother."

Hail Mary...

Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, pray for us!