Posted on August 21, 2016 View all news
Laudetur Jesus Christus! Gelobt sei Jesus Christus! Sia lodato Gesù Cristo! Praised be Jesus Christ!
This upcoming week we celebrate the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, one of the three paintings found behind our High Altar. For those who may not know, the painting changes seasonally. Last week we changed the painting to the Queenship of our Blessed Virgin Mary. Around December 8, we will change it to the Immaculate Conception, and around March 25 to the Annunciation of our Blessed Virgin Mary. The paintings are on a pulley system, with the other two paintings sitting behind the one displayed. It is a neat process to see, and something very unique to our parish.
In celebration of this great Feast of the Queenship, previously celebrated on May 31 on the Traditional Calendar and now celebrated on August 22, I present this reflection from St. Peter Canisius, the great Jesuit Apostle to the Germans following the Protestant Reformation. Have a blessed and holy week ahead!
“If we follow St. John Damascene, St. Athanasius and others, are we not forced to call Mary Queen, since her father David receiveth the highest praise in Scripture as a renowned king, and her son as King of kings and Lord of lords, reigning forever? She is Queen, moreover, when compared with the Saints who reign like kings in the heavenly kingdom, co-heirs with Christ, the great King, placed on the same throne with him, as the Scripture saith. And as Queen she is second to none of the elect, but in dignity is raised so high above both Angels and men that nothing can be higher or holier than she, who alone hath the same Son as God the Father, and who seeth above her only God and Christ, and below her creatures other than herself.
The great Athanasius said clearly: Mary is not only the Mother of God, but also can be properly and truly called Queen and Lady, since in fact the Christ who was born of the Virgin Mother is God and Lord and also King. It is to this Queen, therefore, that the Psalmist’s words are applied: The Queen taketh her place at thy right hand in garments of gold. Thus Mary is rightly called Queen, not only of heaven, but also of the heavens, as the Mother of the King of Angels, and as the Bride and beloved of the King of the heavens. O Mary, most august Queen and most faithful Mother, to whom no one prayeth in vain who prayeth devoutly, and to whom all mortal men are bound by the enduring memory of so many benefits, again and again reverently I beseech thee to accept and be pleased with every evidence of my devotion to thee, to value the poor gift I offer according to the zeal with which it is offered, and to recommend it to thine all-powerful Son.” – St. Peter Canisius