August 22, 2012

• A Scriptural Reflection for the Feast of the Queenship of Mary

  

  Today on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary I offer a series of paired Scripture readings–one from each Testament–to help us reflect on Mary’s special role in our Christian life, a role that was foreshadowed in the Old Testament and sees its fulfillment, through Christ, in the New.

   

   

   

  “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of man this one has been taken…” (Genesis 2:23)

  

  “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman…” (Galatians 4:4)

   

   

   

  Then the Lord said to the snake, “…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel…” (Genesis 3:15)

  

  “A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child…Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon…the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child…She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule the nations with an iron rod…The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to the earth, and its angels were thrown down with it…” (Revelations 12:1-9)

   

   

   

  “The man gave his wife the name ‘Eve,’ because she was the mother of all the living.” (Genesis 3:20)

  

  “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’” (John 19:26-27)

   

   

   

  “On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ (John 2:1-5)

  

  “Bathsheba replied, ‘Very well, I will speak to the king for you.’ Then Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king stood up to meet her and paid her homage. Then he sat down upon his throne, and a throne was provided for the king’s mother, who sat as this right. She said, ‘There is one small favor I would ask you. Do not refuse me.’ The king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you…” (1 Kings 2:18-20)

  “…and there is something greater than Solomon here…” (Matthew 12:42)

   

   

  

  Hail, O Queen of Heaven!

  Hail, O Lady of Angels!

  Hail, thou root! Hail, thou gate

  from whom unto the world a light has arisen!

  Rejoice, O glorious Virgin,

  lovely beyond all others.

  Farewell, most beautiful maiden,

  and pray for us to Christ. Amen.

   

   

  • 1:56 pm
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