Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Many centuries ago, it was said, there was once a glorious city. It stood in a fertile valley, and because of its industrious inhabitants, it increased. Many admired it from afar and were dazzled by the brightness of its marble and gilded bronze. In a word, it was a happy city, and its people lived peacefully. One day, the inhabitants decided to elect a king. The golden trumpets sounded, and everyone gathered in front of the town hall. However, they could not agree on how the election would take place. After much shouting among themselves, a man in a splendid suit came before the assembly. He was the wealthiest man in town. He raised his hand, studded with glittering rings, and exclaimed: “Citizens! We are wealthy, so our king must be a noble man.”

But the less rich cried out: “No! No! We don’t want a rich man! We want the strongest!” Others cried out: “The elder!” Others, “The young one!” “Not this one, but that one!” In general confusion, no one understood anything anymore. From all sides came shouts and the clatter of guns. The trumpets sounded again. A calm and sensible old man ascended to the highest place in the square and said: “Friends, let us not be foolish to divide ourselves for a king who does not yet exist. Since we adults cannot agree, let us call an innocent child and let him choose a king from among us.” So they chose a little girl who initially didn’t understand what was happening. The child looked at them, shyly rubbed her thumb, and said: “I don’t want a king. I want us to have a queen – my mother.”

We could figuratively say that God was thinking the same way when He decided a simple girl from Nazareth to be the mother of the Son of God. When we celebrate Mary the Queen, we come to her first and foremost as Mother. Her maternal intercession, the example of her holiness, and the grace of God with which she effectively cooperated assure us that God loves us and cares about our happiness in life and our salvation. For she is not far from us. She is the mediator of many graces. She helps us in our life’s pursuit of the good.