Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin
Mary
Lectionary: 424
Reading 1
The angel led me to the gate which faces the east,
and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel
coming from the east.
I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters,
and the earth shone with his glory.
The vision was like that which I had seen
when he came to destroy the city,
and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar.
I fell prone as the glory of the LORD entered the temple
by way of the gate which faces the east,
but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.
And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.
Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple,
while the man stood beside me.
The voice said to me:
Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,
this is where I will set the soles of my feet;
here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
Responsorial Psalm
PS 85:9AB
AND 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You have but one Father in heaven;
you have but one master, the Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/082220.cfm
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.
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).
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.
Daily
Quote from the Early Church Fathers: God is our father and teacher, by
Jerome(347-420 AD)
"No
one should be called teacher or father except God the Father and our Lord Jesus
Christ. He alone is the Father, because all things are from him. He alone is
the teacher, because through him are made all things and through him all things
are reconciled to God. But one might ask, 'Is it against this precept when the
apostle calls himself the teacher of the Gentiles? Or when, as in colloquial
speech widely found in the monasteries of Egypt and Palestine, they call each
other Father?' Remember this distinction. It is one thing to be a father or a
teacher by nature, another to be so by generosity. For when we call a man
father and reserve the honor of his age, we may thereby be failing to honor the
Author of our own lives. One is rightly called a teacher only from his
association with the true Teacher. I repeat: The fact that we have one God and
one Son of God through nature does not prevent others from being understood as
sons of God by adoption. Similarly this does not make the terms father and
teacher useless or prevent others from being called father."(excerpt
from COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW)
https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2020&date=aug22
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, MATTHEW 23:1-12
Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(Isaiah
1:10, 16-20; Psalm 50)
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 the 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 faithful teacher of the law of God's justice and mercy.
TO LOVE: Are my religious practices motivated by piety or a desire for admiration?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, teach me to imitate your humility as I strive to serve your people.
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 - "All glorious is the king’s
daughter as she enters, her raiment threaded with gold; in embroidered apparel
she is led to the king" (Ps 45:14). The coronation of Mary as Queen of
Heaven fulfilled her own prophecy that "all generations will call me
blessed." On another level, it prophesizes the triumph of Mary yet to
come. The Book of Revelation states that, 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 - 2 February 1974).
http://www.togetherwithgodsword.com/commentaries-on-the-daily-gospel-of-the-mass.html
Saturday 22 August 2020
Queenship of Mary
Ezekiel 43:1-7. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land –
Psalm 84(85):9-14. Matthew 23:1-12.
They do not practise what they preach
Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who
travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when you have him you
make him twice as fit for hell as you are.’
Throughout the gospels, Jesus reserves his strongest
condemnation for hypocrisy – perhaps because he knows what a common human
failing it is. There is surely a little of the Pharisee in all of us!
How frequently do I rush to judgment of others, or embrace the
standards of our consumerist society? Do I sometimes fail to stand up for the
moral values of my faith, for fear of being unpopular? Do I always practise
what I preach?
Mary, Queen of heaven, help me to follow your way of
simplicity and humility in your devotion to your divine Son.
http://www.pray.com.au/gospel_reflection/saturday-22-august-2020/
Queenship of Mary
Saint of the Day for August 22
Virgin of the Deliverance | Ernest Hébert
The Story of the Queenship of Mary
Pope 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, she 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 Saint Ephrem 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.
Reflection
As Saint 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.
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/queenship-of-mary/
Lectio Divina: The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Lectio Divina
Saturday, August 22, 2020
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.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a
town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he
said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly
troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found
favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
11 and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will
rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no
end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no
relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy
Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold,
Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is
the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible
for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it
be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from
her.
3) Reflection
• Today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. 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, often 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 able to
recognize 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 due to a 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. God’s visit is so
present and so continuous that, many times, we do not perceive it and, because
of this, we lose a great opportunity to live in peace and with joy.
• Luke 1:26-27: The word enters into our life. Luke presents the
people 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 on the
periphery. The center was Judah and Jerusalem. The angel Gabriel was sent by
God to this young virgin who lived on the periphery. The name Gabriel means God
is strong. The name Mary means loved by Yahweh or Yahweh is my Lord.
The story of God’s visit to Mary begins with the expression “In
the sixth month.” It refers to the “sixth month” of the pregnancy of Elizabeth,
a relative of Mary: a woman of a certain age, who needs help. Elizabeth’s
concrete need 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 favor! The Lord is with you!” These are words
similar to those which were said to Moses (Ex 3:12), to Jeremiah (Jer 1:8), to
Gideon (Judg 6:12), to Ruth (Ruth 2:4) and to many others. These words open the
horizon for the mission which these people of the Old Testament had 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 angel’s explanation. “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, the Kingdom of God promised to David, which all were
anxiously awaiting, will be realized. 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, it 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 (Gen 1:2), can realize things
which seem impossible. This is why the holy One who will be born of Mary will
be called Son of God. When today God’s Word is received, accepted by the poor
who have no education, 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
everyone 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 angel’s response clarifies
everything for Mary. She gives herself to what the angel was asking: “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 as a service
to others (Isa 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 come out of herself in order to serve others.
She leaves the place where she was and goes to Judah, at a distance of more
than four days journey, in order to help her cousin Elizabeth. Mary begins
serving and fulfills her mission on 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 recognize God’s visits
in our lives?
• 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)
https://ocarm.org/en/content/lectio/lectio-luke-126-38-0
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