The Queenship of Mary and Overcoming Abortion

Today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, which takes place exactly one week after her Assumption into heaven. When we think about the Assumption of Mary, it is all about the power of Jesus, the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death.

Photo credit: DDP

Highlights

By Father David Begany, SSJ
8/23/2023 (1 year ago)

Published in Christian Saints & Heroes

Keywords: Mary, Queenship, Abortion, prayer, feast, pro-life

What is being manifested here is not some kind of power or glory of Mary that is independent of Christ. Just the opposite. It is a privilege given to Mary precisely because of Christ and manifesting his victory over sin and death. Where she has gone, we hope to follow. Just like Jesus said, "I am preparing a place for you that where I am you also may be." Mary is the first disciple of Jesus in whom that promise is fulfilled. Today we reflect on her status in the universe. 

Who is she?

Jesus is the king and Mary is the queen. Notice what the church is saying a woman is the greatest pinnacle of God's creation. She is the queen of the universe, queen of heaven and earth. 

Jesus did not use his humanity just as a temporary tool that he threw aside once he had accomplished our redemption. The human nature of Jesus is forever. When Jesus ascended into heaven he was human, as well as divine, and he took his humanity with him.

His humanity began when Mary said, "Yes, be it done unto me according to your word."

That's the moment when he took on human nature and he never rejected it after that. And just as he did not cast aside his humanity as a temporary tool, he didn't cast aside his mother, either. She is with him forever, right at his side. 

And that's what today's feast means. She is the queen of the universe.

Imagine all the things that she heard Jesus say. Jesus had an earthly public ministry for three years, but for 30 years he was with Mary, and Joseph for a while as well. We long for and yearn for and analyze from every possible direction every little word that we can get our hands on that Jesus spoke.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus talked to the crowds in parables, but then kept explaining things privately to his disciples. So there's so much that Jesus said that is not recorded, but Mary heard so much of it for 30 years. 

Her queenship is like an eternal reflection of these words. 

The queen leads us to the king. The queen always reflects the king. The queen is always working on our hearts to obey and to love the king. The queen is not going to lead us anywhere else except to the king. Mary, always interceding for us, is constantly saying, "Do whatever he tells you." We need all the help we can get to be reminded of Jesus, to be encouraged to follow him, to be immersed in him, to be immersed in his every word. 

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There is nothing that Mary wants other than to see us as total and faithful worshipers of her son, Jesus Christ. Therefore she's the queen of life. She's the one that says to the scared, pregnant moms of our day, "I was once where you were. I was told I would be a mother and I said, 'How can this be?' "

Mary also speaks to those pregnant moms through those of us who work in the prolife movement. It is Mary, our queen, the queen of life who says to them, "Do not be afraid." Don't be afraid to say, "Be it done, oh Lord, according to your word because your choice comes before mine. Your choice is where my freedom is. And there will be you, oh Lord, and there will be others to help me say yes to this child. Keep from me, oh God, the temptation to be so afraid and so desperate that I would kill my own child."

Mary protects us from ever being so desperate and afraid that we would entertain the thought of killing our own children. Mary is there for every pregnant mom -- and dad -- who might be tempted to that abortion or for the mom's or dad's parents who might be tempted to push that abortion. 

Be it done unto me according to your word, Mary counsels these frightened new parents. Let us welcome life. 

In the new and heavenly Jerusalem, where all creation forever will fall down before the throne, we see a king on that throne. He is the king of the universe, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But next to that king we will see a queen whose mission is to lead us to him, whose word to us is do whatever he tells us, whose example to us is Fiat: Lord, let your will be done. Let your word take effect in my life. 

Mary, queen of the universe and queen of life, pray for us today. May we follow Christ. May we be the people of life and may we build the culture of life.

Father David Begany, SSJ, is a pastoral associate of Priests for Life and pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Baytown, Texas.