Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectionary: 424
Lectionary: 424
Naomi had a
prominent kinsman named Boaz,
of the clan of her husband Elimelech.
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi,
“Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field
of anyone who will allow me that favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter,” and she went.
The field she entered to glean after the harvesters
happened to be the section belonging to Boaz
of the clan of Elimelech.
Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter!
Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field;
you are not to leave here.
Stay here with my women servants.
Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them;
I have commanded the young men to do you no harm.
When you are thirsty, you may go and drink from the vessels
the young men have filled.”
Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, Ruth said to him,
“Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your notice?”
Boaz answered her:
“I have had a complete account of what you have done
for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death;
you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth,
and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.”
Boaz took Ruth.
When they came together as man and wife,
the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son.
Then the women said to Naomi,
“Blessed is the LORD who has not failed
to provide you today with an heir!
May he become famous in Israel!
He will be your comfort and the support of your old age,
for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you.
She is worth more to you than seven sons!”
Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nurse.
And the neighbor women gave him his name,
at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi.
They called him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
of the clan of her husband Elimelech.
Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi,
“Let me go and glean ears of grain in the field
of anyone who will allow me that favor.”
Naomi said to her, “Go, my daughter,” and she went.
The field she entered to glean after the harvesters
happened to be the section belonging to Boaz
of the clan of Elimelech.
Boaz said to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter!
Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field;
you are not to leave here.
Stay here with my women servants.
Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them;
I have commanded the young men to do you no harm.
When you are thirsty, you may go and drink from the vessels
the young men have filled.”
Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, Ruth said to him,
“Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your notice?”
Boaz answered her:
“I have had a complete account of what you have done
for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death;
you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth,
and have come to a people whom you did not know previously.”
Boaz took Ruth.
When they came together as man and wife,
the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son.
Then the women said to Naomi,
“Blessed is the LORD who has not failed
to provide you today with an heir!
May he become famous in Israel!
He will be your comfort and the support of your old age,
for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you.
She is worth more to you than seven sons!”
Naomi took the child, placed him on her lap, and became his nurse.
And the neighbor women gave him his name,
at the news that a grandson had been born to Naomi.
They called him Obed.
He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
Responsorial PsalmPS 128:1B-2, 3, 4, 5
R. (4) See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
You wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
You wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
AlleluiaMT 23:9B, 10B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have but one Father in heaven;
you have but one master, the Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have but one Father in heaven;
you have but one master, the Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the
crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
Meditation: "Whoever humbles oneself will be
exalted"
Who doesn't desire the praise and respect of others? We want
others to see us at our best with all of our strengths and achievements -
rather than at our worst with all of our faults and shortcomings. God sees us
as we truly are - sinners and beggars always in need of his mercy, help, and
guidance. Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers and rulers of
Israel, to teach and serve their people with humility and sincerity rather than
with pride and self-promotion. They went to great lengths to draw attention to
their religious status and practices. In a way they wanted to be good models of
observant Jews. "See how well we observe all the ritual rules and
regulations of our religion!" In their misguided zeal for religion they
sought recognition and honor for themselves rather than for God. They made the
practice of their faith a burden rather than a joy for the people they were
supposed to serve.
True respect for God inclines us to humble ourselves and to
submit to his wisdom and guidance. We cannot be taught by God unless we first
learn to listen to his word and then obey his instruction.
One Father and Teacher
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God's word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God's instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others.
Was Jesus against calling anyone a rabbi, the Jewish title for a teacher of God's word (Matthew 23:7-8), or a father? The law of Moses in Scripture specifically instructed all fathers to be teachers and instructors for their children to help them understand and obey God's instructions (Deuteronomy 6:7)? Why did Jesus rebuke the scribes and Pharisees, the religious authorities of the Jewish people, in the presence of his disciples? Jesus wanted to warn both his own disciples and the religious leaders about the temptation to seek honors and titles that draw attention to ourselves in place of God and his word. Pride tempts us to put ourselves first above others.
The Scriptures give ample warning about the danger of
self-seeking pride: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit
before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). God opposes the proud, but
gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; Proverbs 3:24).
Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD), an early Christian teacher
and bible scholar, reminds those who teach and lead to remember that they are
first and foremost "disciples" and "servants" who sit at
the feet of their Master and Teacher the Lord Jesus Christ:
"You have one teacher, and you are all brothers to each
other...Whoever ministers with the divine word does not put himself forward to
be called teacher, for he knows that when he performs well it is
Christ who is within him. He should only call himself servant according
to the command of Christ, saying, Whoever is greater among you, let him
be the servant of all."
True humility
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart - the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives? We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).
Respect for God and for his ways inclines us to humility and to simplicity of heart - the willing readiness to seek the one true good who is God himself. What is the nature of true humility and why should we embrace it as essential for our lives? We can easily mistake humility as something demeaning or harmful to our sense of well-being and feeling good about ourselves. True humility is not feeling bad about yourself, or having a low opinion of yourself, or thinking of yourself as inferior to all others. True humility frees us from preoccupation with ourselves, whereas a low self-opinion tends to focus our attention on ourselves. Humility is truth in self-understanding and truth in action. Viewing ourselves honestly, with sober judgment, means seeing ourselves the way God sees us (Psalm 139:1-4).
A humble person makes a realistic assessment of oneself without
illusion or pretense to be something one is not. A truly humble person regards
oneself neither smaller nor larger than one truly is. True humility frees us to
be ourselves as God regards us and to avoid falling into despair and pride. A
humble person does not want to wear a mask or put on a facade in order to look
good to others. Such a person is not swayed by accidentals, such as fame,
reputation, success, or failure. Do you know the joy of Christ-like humility
and simplicity of heart?
Humility is the queen or foundation of all the other virtues
because it enables us to see and judge correctly, the way God sees. Humility
helps us to be teachable so we can acquire true knowledge, wisdom, and an
honest view of reality. It directs our energy, zeal, and will to give ourselves
to something greater than ourselves. Humility frees us to love and serve others
willingly and selflessly, for their own sake, rather than for our own. Paul the
Apostle gives us the greatest example and model of humility in the person of
Jesus Christ, who emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and...
who humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross (Philippians
2:7-8). Do you want to be a servant as Jesus loved and served others? The Lord
Jesus gives us his heart - the heart of a servant who seeks the good of others
and puts their interests first in his care and concern for them.
"Lord Jesus, you became a servant for my sake to set me
free from the tyranny of selfish pride and self-concern. Teach me to be humble
as you are humble and to love others generously with selfless service and
kindness."
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22,
MATTHEW 23:1-12
(Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17; Psalm 128)
(Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11, 4:13-17; Psalm 128)
KEY VERSE: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (v 12).
TO KNOW: Jesus denounced the hypocritical behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. Although he acknowledged that their teaching authority rested on the "chair of Moses" (the "chair of Peter" is a similar term for Church authority), he warned his disciples not to follow the example of those religious leaders. The Pharisees enjoyed their titles of honor, and they liked to call attention to their phylacteries (Hebrew: tefillin) as evidence of their piety. These small leather boxes contained essential passages of the Torah, and were worn on the forehead and on the left arm (closest to the heart) during prayer. The tassels sewn on the corners of their garments (Hebrew: tzi-tzit) were a symbolic reminder to keep the Law of Moses. While the religious leaders demanded obedience to the minute details of the law, their deeds did not always correspond to their words. In contrast, Jesus was a humble servant and faithful teacher of the law of God's love and mercy.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, teach me to imitate your humility as I strive to serve your people.
TO SERVE: Are my religious practices motivated by piety or a desire for admiration?
Memorial of the
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
On October 11, 1954, four years after he declared the dogma of the Assumption of Mary, Pope Pius XII, in an encyclical letter, Ad Caeli Reginam, decreed and instituted the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He formalized the Church's tradition from the earliest centuries, which rested on both Holy Scripture and tradition. The coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven fulfilled her own prophecy that "all generations will call me blessed." Her ancestor Judith's actions anticipated hers: "O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all other women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth . . . Your praise will never depart from the hearts of those who remember the power of God [Jud 13:18, 19]." On another level, it prophesizes the triumph of Mary yet to come. At the end of the world, Mary, crowned with twelve stars, will crush the head of the serpent beneath her feet [Rev 12:1-18]. Pope Paul VI wrote, "The Solemnity of the Assumption is prolonged in the celebration of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which occurs seven days later. On this occasion we contemplate her who, seated beside the King of ages, shines forth as Queen and intercedes as Mother" (Marialis Cultus - For the Right Ordering and Development of Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary - 2 February 1974).
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Imitating Jesus
|
We often hear it said that friends are the family that we choose
for ourselves. If so, let us choose the friends of Jesus to be among our own.
The best of friends always call one another higher, in imitation of the Divine
Friend, Jesus.
August
22
Queenship of Mary
Queenship of Mary
Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But Mary’s queenship has
roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son
would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation,
Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s
life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’
kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king
has great influence in court.
In the
fourth century St. Ephrem (June 9) called Mary “Lady” and
“Queen.” Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use the title.
Hymns of the 11th to 13th centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,”
“Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the
Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her
queenship.
The feast
is a logical follow-up to the Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave
day of that feast. In his 1954 encyclical To the Queen of Heaven,
Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God,
because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work,
because of her preeminent perfection and because of her intercessory power.
Comment:
As St. Paul suggests in Romans 8:28–30, God has predestined human beings from all eternity to share the image of his Son. All the more was Mary predestined to be the mother of Jesus. As Jesus was to be king of all creation, Mary, in dependence on Jesus, was to be queen. All other titles to queenship derive from this eternal intention of God. As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving his Father and his fellow human beings, so did Mary exercise her queenship. As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time (Matthew 28:20), so does Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned queen of heaven and earth.
As St. Paul suggests in Romans 8:28–30, God has predestined human beings from all eternity to share the image of his Son. All the more was Mary predestined to be the mother of Jesus. As Jesus was to be king of all creation, Mary, in dependence on Jesus, was to be queen. All other titles to queenship derive from this eternal intention of God. As Jesus exercised his kingship on earth by serving his Father and his fellow human beings, so did Mary exercise her queenship. As the glorified Jesus remains with us as our king till the end of time (Matthew 28:20), so does Mary, who was assumed into heaven and crowned queen of heaven and earth.
Quote:
“Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69).
“Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity” (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69).
LECTIO DIVINA:
THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Lectio:
Saturday, August
22, 2015
Ordinary
Time
1)
Opening prayer
God our
Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2)
Gospel Reading - Luke 1,26-38
In the
sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, you who
enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.' She was deeply disturbed by these
words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to
her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour. Look! You are to
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be
great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the
throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and
his reign will have no end.'
Mary
said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of
man?' The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of
the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and
will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also,
in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now
in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.'
Mary
said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have
said.' And the angel left her.
3)
Reflection
• Today
is the Feast of Mary Queen. The text of the Gospel on which we meditate
describes the visit of the angel to Mary (Lk 1, 26-38). The word of God comes
to Mary not through a Biblical text, but rather through a profound experience
of God, manifested in the visit of the Angel. In the New Testament, many times,
the Angel of God is God himself. It was thanks to the meditation on the written
Word of God in the Bible that Mary was capable to perceive the living Word of
God in the visit of the Angel. The same thing happens today with God’s visits
in our life. The visits of God are frequent. But because of lack of
assimilation and meditation of the written Word of God in the Bible, we are not
aware of God’s visit in our life. The visit of God is so present and so
continuous that, many times, we do not perceive it and, because of this, we
lose a great occasion to live in peace and with joy.
• Luke
1, 26-27: The word enters into our life. Luke presents the persons and the
places: a Virgin called Mary, betrothed to a man called Joseph, of the House of
David.
Nazareth
was a small city in Galilee. Galilee was in the periphery. The centre was Judah
and Jerusalem. The Angel Gabriel was sent by God to this young virgin who lived
in the periphery. The name Gabriel means God is strong. The name Mary means
loved by Yahweh or Yahweh is my Lord.
The
story of the visit of God to Mary begins with the expression: “In the sixth
month”. It refers to the “sixth month” of pregnancy of Elizabeth, relative of
Mary, a woman of a certain age, who needs help. The concrete need of Elizabeth
serves as a background to the whole episode. It is found at the beginning (Lk
1, 26) and at the end (Lk 1, 36.39).
• Luke
1, 28-29: Mary’s reaction. The angel had appeared to Zechariah in the Temple.
The Angel appears to Mary in her house. The Word of God reaches Mary in the
environment of her daily life. The Angel says: “Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s
favour! The Lord is with you!” These are words similar to those which were said
to Moses (Ex 3, 12), to Jeremiah (Jr 1, 8), to Jedeon (Jz 6, 12), to Ruth (Rt
2, 4) and to many others. These words open the horizon for the mission which
these persons of the Old Testament have to carry out in the service of the People
of God. Deeply disturbed by this greeting, Mary tries to understand what it
means. She is realistic, she uses her head. She wants to understand. She does
not simply accept any apparition or inspiration.
• Luke
1, 30-33: The explanation of the angel. “Do not be afraid, Mary!” This is
always the first greeting of God to human beings: do not be afraid! Immediately
after that, the angel recalls the great promises of the past which will be
realized through the son who will be born from Mary. This son must receive the
name of Jesus. He will be called the son of the Most High and in him finally,
will be realized the Kingdom of God promised to David, which all were anxiously
waiting for. This is the explanation which the Angel gave to Mary so that she
would not be afraid.
• Luke
1, 34: New question asked by Mary. Mary becomes aware of the important mission
which she is about to receive, but she continues to be realistic. She does not
allow herself to be transported by the greatness of the offer and looks at her
condition.” But how can this come about? I have no knowledge of man”. She
analyses the offer according to criteria that we, human beings, have available.
Because, humanly speaking, this was not possible that this offer of the Word of
God would be realized at that moment.
• Luke
1, 35-37: New explanation by the angel. "The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the
child will be holy and will be called Son of God”. The Holy Spirit, present in
God’s Word since Creation (Gn 1, 2), can realize things which seem impossible.
This is why, the holy One who will be born from Mary will be called Son of God.
When today God’s Word is received, accepted by the poor who have no studies,
something new takes place thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit! Something new
and surprising like the son who is born to a virgin or like the son born from
Elizabeth, a woman who was already old, of whom everybody said that she could
have no children! The angel adds: “And I tell you this too, your cousin
Elizabeth is now in her sixth month!”
• Luke
1, 38: Mary gives herself. The response of the angel clarifies everything for
Mary. She gives herself to what the angel was asking for: “Behold, the handmaid
of the Lord! May it be done to me according to your word”. Mary calls herself
Servant, handmaid of the Lord. This title comes from Isaiah, who presents the
mission of the people not as a privilege, but rather like a service to others
(Is 42, 1-9; 49, 3-6). Later, the son who was about to be generated at that
moment, will define his mission saying: “I have not come to be served but to
serve!” (Mt 20, 28). He learns from his Mother!
• Luke
1, 39: The way that Mary finds to render service. The Word of God reaches Mary
and makes her get out of self in order to serve others. She leaves the place
where she was and goes toward Judah, at a distance of more than four days
journey, in order to help her cousin Elizabeth. Mary begins serving and fulfils
her mission in behalf of the People of God.
4)
Personal questions
• How
do you perceive God’s visit in your life? Have you been visited already? Have
you been a visit from God in the life of others especially for the poor? How
does this text help us to discover the visits of God in our life?
• The
word of God became incarnate in Mary. How is the Word of God taking flesh in my
personal life and in the life of the community?
5)
Concluding Prayer
Let
them thank Yahweh for his faithful love,
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content,
filled the starving with good things. (Ps 107,8-9)
for his wonders for the children of Adam!
He has fed the hungry to their hearts' content,
filled the starving with good things. (Ps 107,8-9)
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