On this day of the crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary we want to imagine the beautiful crowning of Mary in Heaven. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, Mary is the Mother of God the Son, and Mary is the Mystical Spouse of God the Holy Spirit. Mary is intimately interrelated to the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. Imagine also the immense joy of the angels and saints as they contemplate their Queen in this glorious crowning!
CHURCH. Also, Mary is the Mother of the Church. The Catholic Church has a Head and that is Jesus. One name for the Catholic Church is The Mystical Body of Christ. If Jesus is the Head and we are the members, Mary is the Mother of the Head. Therefore, we are the spiritual sons and daughters of Mary.
WHEN? When Jesus was hanging from the cross, He turned to the Beloved Disciple John and said: “Woman behold thy son; son behold thy mother. From that moment the beloved disciple took Mary into his home.” (Jn. 19: 26-27) Interpretation: In the person of John, Jesus saw each and every one of us, you and me. From all eternity Jesus knew that we would be the spiritual sons and daughters of Mary His Mother.
CROWNING OF MARY: CROWN HER WITH FIVE SPECIAL GIFTS.
1. AVOID SIN. First, we want to strive to avoid sin. In Fatima, Mary appeared with thorns in her Immaculate Heart. Interpretation? These thorns are sins, our sins. Every time we are tempted to sin, we should say a fervent Hail Mary and beg Mary to remove that temptation from our mind, emotions, and person. With the help of Mary’s prayers, we can avoid sin.
2. MORNING OFFERING AND SCAPULAR. Start every day by praying your Morning Offering and kissing your Scapular as a sign of your consecration to Mary. You want to give everything you are—body, mind, past, present, future, and ALL to Jesus through Mary. You start your day by the kissing of your Scapular as a sign of your love for Mary.
3. OFFER MARY YOUR PURITY: Heart, mind, body, soul, and intentions. Jesus once appeared to Saint Faustina dressed in white (for purity), then Jesus wrapped around the waist of Faustina a golden sash. This was the Sash of Purity. Later, Saint Faustina said that she had been begging Our Lady for a long time for the gift of perpetual chastity. Let us offer Mary our prayers, desires, and intentions to live out the virtue of purity. Let us beg Our Lady to live out the Beatitude that Jesus taught on this subject: “Blessed are the pure of heart; they will see God.” (Mt 5: 8)
4. PRAY TO MARY: THE HOLY ROSARY! The prayer that Mary loves most is the HAIL MARY. Better said, the prayer that Mary really loves most is the MOST HOLY ROSARY… Mary prefers 50 Hail Marys over just one! Every time we say Hail Mary we are saying to Mary that we love her. When Our Lady appeared at Fatima 100 years ago she appeared 6 times. Every time that she appeared she said: Pray the Rosary! She finally revealed her name, her identity, and it was nothing other than Our Lady of the Rosary. Therefore, if we really want to love Mary and live out our consecration, then we should get in the habit of praying the Rosary every day. Pope Saint John Paul II said that we are called to contemplate the Face of Jesus through the eyes and heart of Mary. What could be better than that this side of eternity?
5. LOVE LIKE MARY: TO LOVE IS TO SERVE. After Mary said YES to the Angel with the words: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word… then Mary went in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth. Our consecration to Mary, if we are really living it out should motivate us to see and serve Jesus in others, starting in our own homes because charity begins at home. As Mary was intent on serving Saint Elizabeth—elderly and pregnant with John the Baptist—so should we have our eyes opened to the many ways that we can serve, especially at home. Jesus Himself said: The Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve and give His life in ransom for many.” (Mt 20: 28) Remember the saying: To serve is to reign, and to reign is to serve.”
CONCLUSION: OVERFLOWING JOY! The day of Mary’s crowning should be a day of immense and overflowing joy, like a river overflowing its banks. This immense joy comes to us from the prayers, power, and presence of Mary as our Queen and our Mother.
MARY TEACHES US JOY. Mary teaches us joy because she always said YES to God. Sin is saying NO to God. Mary never sinned, but always gave her constant YES to God. May we always say YES to God so our life like Mary’s will be a constant downpour of heavenly joy. Then may your joy be perpetual as you arrive safely to our home in heaven.
Father Ed Broom, OMV, is Associate Pastor of St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens, California. He is a member of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary and was ordained by Saint John Paul II on May 25, 1986. Fr. Ed teaches Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality through articles, podcasts, a radio show, retreats and spiritual direction.
