THE WORD AND THE FEAST
August 22, 2020: Celebrating Mary, the Mother and Queen
Isaiah 9:1-7; Luke 1: 26-38
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| The Entrance Antiphon of this day's Liturgy reads: Christ the King crowned his Mother as Queen of Heaven; Come Let us adore him |
"Queen of Heaven, Rejoice", we pray in the days following the glorious resurrection of Christ our Saviour and Lord, because the triumph that Jesus won, was shared first and foremost, and most deservingly by his beloved Mother and our blessed Mother, Mary most holy. Exactly a week after we celebrate that mystery of Christ sharing his Easter glory with his Mother, we celebrate today another singular privilege that Mary was granted - being presented to us as Queen of Heaven. Until 1968 this feast was celebrated on May 31, from which year the commemoration was moved to this day, to follow the celebrations of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother, with body and soul into the presence of God, a fitting recompense given by God to God's most beloved daughter.
The Word on this commemoration invites us to reflect on the itinerary that Mary followed towards this glorious title - how did she become a Queen? Through great conquests or incredible feats of valour and victory? No! Not through feats but through her fiat; yes, through her 'yes' to the Lord of the Universe: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word. And it is in that fiat, that she is chosen to be the Mother of God and the Mother of God's people, the beloved Handmaiden of God and the splendid Queen of God's people. Her Queenship is all about her identity as handmaiden, as a servant - yes, a handmaiden-queen!
From her life, we gather where the young Jesus growing up learnt his mode of leadership - let the one who wants to be first among you, be the last; let the one who wants to lead, serve the rest - the Servant Leadership Model. She was, all her life, at the service of the Will of God to which she submitted herself, at the service of the Word who was made flesh in her and had to be nurtured into the world, at the service of fellow beings coming to their aid in their lack, at the service of the Salvific plan of God on the road to calvary and under the Cross, at the service of the early Church strengthening the apostles and others to stay firm in hope and courage during dark moments - all her life, at service! She remains the prototype of the Servant Leadership that Jesus proposes to us and presents to us in his own life and teachings.
Apart from thanking God for this lovely handmaiden-queen we have, let us take to heart the servant leadership model that Jesus proposed, that we think seldom of power and position, but always of love and service!