Feast Day: August 22

Mary, the Mother of God and our Mother, is the Queen of all saints because she made the most diligent use of the rich treasure of grace which God granted to her.  Her thoughts were always occupied in learning to know and praise God; her heart loved Him above all things.  She zealously accepted every inspiration to good.  Thus sanctifying grace was wondrously increased in her soul.

Mary was no more than a teenager when she was called to her special mission by God.  Her home was in Nazareth, a village in Galilee that was so unimportant, it hadn’t been mentioned in the Bible before her time.  Like most Jews of her time, Mary and the others in her village were poor.  They were simple people who lived plain lives and worked hard.

Romans had occupied the land of the Jews and the people were hoping and praying that a messiah would come to rescue them from their oppressors.  But they were looking for someone who looked like a mighty king.  When God sent a Messiah who was like His people, poor, he chose Mary as Jesus’ mother because she too was one of the poor.  She was someone willing to be the servant of God.

Because she was full of grace, Mary also excelled in every virtue much more than every other saint.  All the traits of Jesus were expressed in her as faithfully as they could be expressed in any creature.   Because of her fullness of grace and the splendor of her virtues, she was raised above all the saints; she is their Queen.

Mary was raised above all the saints in glory.  Chosen from among all human beings, she sits on a throne of surpassing splendor.  Scripture can be applied to her: “She shall be admired in the holy assembly, and in the multitude of the elect she shall have praise; and among the blessed she shall be blessed” (Sir 24:3)

As she surpasses all saints in choosing a virtuous and meritorious life, so Mary stands higher than all the elect in receiving glory and reward.  After God there is no greater bliss for the blessed in heaven than to behold her, their glorious Queen.

Mary’s Unlimited Power

Of all creatures Mary, as the Mother of God, possesses the highest power in heaven.  She prays, but not as the saints do.  In a way she has unlimited power in her prayers because Jesus will not resist the motherly authority He Himself gave her.  How can He, who has assumed flesh of her flesh, resist her appeal?  She uses this wonderful power for the benefit of her children, especially those who tenderly love her and venerate her as their mother.

We should pray to the Queen of All Saints for the grace to remember that God has created us to live a life of holiness in this world and to become saints in heaven.  God will give us enough grace to do this if only we have an earnest desire for holiness just as Mary did.  Holiness does not consist in heroic deeds, but in doing the will of God perfectly, loving God with all our heart and our neighbour for God’s sake, keeping our soul from sin, and being united with God through prayer and the sacraments.  We should pray to Mary to obtain for us the grace to imitate her holiness in this world and enjoy the vision of God and her presence for all eternity in heaven.

As Mediatrix with Jesus, Mary shares also in His supreme authority over the universe.  She is Queen because she is the Mother of the Word Incarnate.   Christ is universal King because He rules all creatures by His personal union with the Divinity.  It was God’s plan for Mary to bring him into the world that He might be King, according to the words of the archangel, “His reign will be without end.”

Mary is Queen also because she is co-redemptrix.  Jesus reigns over us not only by natural right, but also by the right of redemption.   As co-operator with her Son in that work of redemption, Mary also acquired the right to reign with Him.  God chose her to be His mother and by that very choice has associated her with Himself in the work of the salvation of mankind.

Our Spiritual Mother

Mary’s is the queenship of goodness.  She adds a degree of motherly sweetness to the joy of the angels and saints and to be blessed of the Church triumphant.  To the Church suffering she brings consolation, relief, deliverance; to the Church militant she offers aid, confidence, victory.

Mary’s place in the Church is second only to Christ because she is the ever-virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God, and because she is very close to us as our spiritual Mother and our Queen.  We owe special veneration by word and example to Mary as Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church, and our spiritual Mother and Queen.  By following her example and by seeking her help in prayer we can be sure of reaching her Son in eternal life.

The feast of the Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22, on which day the Church prays: “O God, You have given us the Mother of Your Son to be our Mother and Queen.  Through her intercession, grant that we may attain the glory destined for Your adopted children in Your Heavenly Kingdom.”

(Taken from "Best-Loved Saints")