Vigil of the Feast of the Queenship of Our Lady

Ave Maria!

Reflection.

From a homily given by Pope Benedict XVI on the Solemnity of the Assumption 2005

Mary is taken up body and soul into the glory of Heaven, and with God and in God she is Queen of Heaven and earth. And is she really so remote from us? The contrary is true. Precisely because she is with God and in God, she is very close to each one of us. While she lived on this earth she could only be close to a few people. Being in God, who is close to us, actually 'within' all of us, Mary shares in this closeness of God. Being in God and with God, she is close to each one of us, knows our hearts, can hear our prayers, can help us with her motherly kindness and has been given to us, as the Lord said, precisely as a 'mother' to whom we can turn at every moment. She always listens to us, she is always close to us, and being Mother of the Son, participates in the power of the Son and in His goodness. We can always entrust the whole of our lives to this Mother, who is not far from every one of us.

Prayer.

I adore you, o ineffable Trinity, for having exalted Mary above all the Angels and Saints, crowning her Queen of the Universe.

O Mary, my dearest Mother, Queen of Heaven and earth, teach me to be at the same time handmaid and queen, since true royalty and nobility consist in reigning over oneself and giving oneself unlimitedly to God and to the one's neighbour. Grant that by imitating you, most humble Queen, I too may one day reign with you in glory without end.

Hail Mary...

Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Universe, pray for us!