Queen of Peace

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Thursday, 22 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which takes place seven days after the earlier great celebration of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is to show just how connected this celebration we have today is to that of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As we celebrate it last week, the Assumption of Mary commemorates the moment when Mary, the Mother of God met the end of her earthly life and journey, when she was raised up body and soul to the glory of Heaven. And we have discussed it earlier at that time, that all this happened because she, as the Immaculate Conception, conceived without any taint of sin, and remaining sinless and full of God’s grace throughout her whole life, she could not have suffered the consequences and punishment for sin, which is death.

That was why the Church, since its very earliest days have always believed in this core belief and tenet of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, no doubt also supported by the evidences and traditions from the time of the Apostles themselves, who have experienced the events surrounding the moment of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven. This is why, although the Catholic Church has only formally defined the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1950, barely over seven decades ago, but it was merely a confirmation and formalisation of what the Church and the faithful had always believed in the past two millennia of our Christian history and faith. Thus, today, which follows up from that glorious celebration of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, we honour Mary in her Queenship, in her many titles as Queen, accorded to her through her status as the Mother of God.

Mary has been known by many titles of Queen throughout history of the Church, the most well-known of which being the Queen of Heaven or Regina Caeli, which is also the name of one of the four important Marian antiphons. She is also known as the Queen of All Saints, Regina Sanctorum, as the Queen of Apostles, Regina Apostolorum, the Queen of Peace, Regina Pacis, and many others. And some of those who did not understand the significance of Mary’s importance and role in the history of our salvation misunderstood this great honour which we have given to her, in honouring her as the greatest among all of God’s created beings, being honoured with the responsibility and privilege of being the Mother of God, bearing within her the Divine Son of God Most High, and becoming hence, the Ark of the New Covenant.

Some thought that we honour Mary as if she is a goddess or a deity, like that of in other beliefs and polytheistic faith. But this mistaken belief came about from misunderstanding of how we honour Mary in her Queenship. She is not a Queen by her own power or might, but her Queenship came about because of her being the Mother of God, Who is Our Lord and King, the King of the whole entire Universe and all of Creation. Therefore, she is Queen by virtue of her being the Queen Mother of Heaven, as the one honoured by her Son, Our Lord, Saviour and King Himself. And if Our Lord Himself has honoured His mother in such a manner, how can we then refuse to honour her in a similar way as well? It is not right for us not to do so, and if we truly love and honoure the Lord our God, then how can we not honour the one whom He Himself honours as well?

In the Scriptures, we heard an example of Bathsheba, the wife of King David of Israel who was honoured after her son, Solomon, ascended the throne as King Solomon. As the king’s own mother, Bathsheba was the Queen Mother of Israel, and was accorded a position of honour in the kingdom and a truly honoured position by the side of the King, who also asked her for advice and help on matters on the ruling of the kingdom. There were other Queen Mothers referred to in the Old Testament as well in the Book of Kings and Chronicles of Israel and Judah, highlighting how in the Scriptures itself, the position of a Queen Mother is something that has been existing since the ancient times and is a well-respected position because of the association with the King and ruler of the Kingdom.

And in history, there had been many Queen Mothers and Dowagers, Empress Dowagers and others who had been respected in the similar way in various states and countries. Not only that, but even if the aforementioned Queen Mothers, Dowagers and Empress Dowagers were not royalty themselves, as some of them were of simpler birth, they were deemed as worthy to be the Queen or Empress by virtue of their motherhood of their sons, who became Kings and Rulers in their own right. For example, Emperor Constantine the Great was the renowned Roman Emperor who ended the official persecution of Christians throughout the Empire and also extended toleration to the Christian faith, and his mother, St. Helena, was a Christian of relatively lower rank who was already divorced by his father, the previous Emperor Constantius who married another high-class woman to bolster his position as Emperor.

While St. Helena was never an Empress when she was married to the father of Emperor Constantine, she was treated well by her own son, and when he became Emperor later on succeeding his father, he would honour his mother St. Helena as an Empress, officially given the title of Augusta, a great title reserved only to the Empresses of the Roman Empire. In such a manner therefore, while St. Helena herself was never a royalty by her birth or by her marriage, she gained her majesty and title, honour and respect through her son, the Emperor, and was greatly honoured throughout the Empire for her great devotion to her son, as well as her personal piety and holiness, renowned later on for her role in the discovery of the True Cross in Jerusalem.

That is why, based on all these, we truly honour Mary as a Queen, as if the world has honoured and recognised the mothers of their kings and rulers as queens and queen mothers, then how can we not honour Mary, the Mother of Our Lord and Saviour, Our King, the King of Kings from Whom all the kings and rulers of this world gained their authority from, in the same manner as well? That is why we rejoice this day because Mary is our Queen, the one who is now seated by the side of her Son’s Throne in Heaven. More importantly, through her, we have a truly great ally and a loving mother who is our greatest intercessor, as one who has always been concerned towards us, loving us and praying for us constantly, asking her Son to show us His mercy and compassion.

Let us also follow the great examples that Mary, our Mother and Queen has shown us all in her own exemplary faith, dedication and commitment to God, and to everything that had been entrusted to her. Mary’s perfect obedience and faith in the Lord allowed the salvation of God to be accomplished through the Incarnation of the Divine Word of God in her, through the descent of the Son of God Himself in the flesh, that the Saviour might be born and revealed to us. Not only that, but Mary also remained firmly committed to her mission throughout her whole life, dedicating herself to love her Son and to follow Him. We should also therefore be inspired to follow Mary’s great examples, to commit ourselves thoroughly to the Lord from now on.

May the Lord continue to give us the strength and guidance to live our lives faithfully as Christians from now on. May He empower each and every one of us to be good role models and examples in faith at all times. And may His blessed and most loving Mother, our Mother and Queen, Mary most holy and blessed, continue to pray and intercede for us sinners, now and always. Amen.

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Thursday, 22 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Thursday, 22 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 112 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Alleluia! Praise, o servants of YHVH, praise the Name of YHVH! Blessed be the Name of YHVH now and forever!

From eastern lands to the western islands, may the Name of YHVH be praised! YHVH is exalted over the nations; His glory above the heavens.

Who is like YHVH our God, Who sits enthroned on high, but also bends down to see on earth as in heaven?

He lifts up the poor from the dust and the needy from the ash heap. He makes them sit with princes, with rulers of His people.

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Thursday, 22 August 2024 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 9 : 1-6

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death. You have enlarged the nation; You have increased their joy. They rejoice before You, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice in dividing the spoil.

For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, You have broken it as on the day of Midian. Every warrior’s boot that tramped in war, every cloak rolled in blood, will be thrown out for burning, will serve as fuel for the fire.

For a Child is born to us, a Son is given us; the royal ornament is laid upon His shoulder, and His Name is proclaimed : “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

To the increase of His powerful rule in peace, there will be no end. Vast will be His dominion, He will reign on David’s throne and over all his kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forever. The zealous love of YHVH Sabaoth will do this.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as we honour Mary, the Mother of God through her motherhood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who is truly the Son of God Most High, as acclaimed by the Archangel Gabriel in our Gospel passage today. And since the Lord Jesus is truly the King and Master of all the whole entire Universe, our great and sovereign King, therefore His Mother Mary is indeed a Queen, and hence today we rejoice in the glory and honour of Mary as Queen, in her various titles and honours as Queen of Heaven, as Queen of All Saints, Queen of Angels, Queen of Peace and others. We rejoice greatly in Mary’s Queenship because we see in her the perfect and most wonderful example of a faithful disciple and follower of our Lord.

In our first reading today, we heard of the words from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, which is the same reading used on the Christmas Midnight Mass, telling us about the coming of the salvation of God, revealed to us through Mary, by her motherhood of the Saviour of the whole world, Jesus Christ, Who as the Son of God is the fulfilment of all the prophecies of the Messiah or Saviour that God had made through His prophets, and in particular what we have heard from the prophet Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s Light and salvation that would come to the people who have lived in the darkness, promising to them the coming of the salvation in God, through the Holy Child that would be born, through a Virgin, a Woman, to the House of David, fulfilling everything that God had promised to His people, which were indeed fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

The words of the prophet Isaiah prefigured and revealed the nature of the Messiah or Saviour that God would send to His people, that this Saviour would be no less than God Himself manifested in the flesh, and dwelling among us, from His Name given to Isaiah, as Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us’, and His many titles that are highlighted in today’s passage. After all, which man, no matter how great and powerful, and which Son, born of a Woman, would be titled as ‘Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’? All these titles point out to the Saviour to be born of the Virgin woman, that He is to be God Himself, coming down to us in the appearance and nature of our human flesh, as both Son of God and Son of Man, which therefore made Mary, the Woman prophesied by Isaiah and the other prophets, to be the Mother of God.

And with reference to David, whose Heir and Son our Lord and Saviour is considered to be, Mary is truly a Queen because the mother of a King is considered a Queen, both during the time of King David of Israel, as well as other time and moments of history throughout the world, in the various kingdoms and dominions present in the past and present. The mother of the king is honoured as a queen mother, and is often accorded a position of great importance in the royal court, and is usually a highly honoured and respected advisor to the reigning monarch. For example, David’s son, King Solomon of Israel, had his mother, Bathsheba seated by his throne’s side as the Queen Mother of the kingdom, and he often asked her for advice and help in the ruling of his kingdom, and highly respected and honoured his mother in his rule.

Therefore, by comparing that example with that of the fact that Mary is the Mother of our Lord and Saviour, and our King, Jesus Christ, therefore, she is indeed a Queen, like that of other Queen Mothers of this world, past and present, honoured and respected by their relationship with the monarch, who is their sons or daughters. If we honour any earthly and worldly kings and rulers, it is not right for us to despise or disregard their mothers, and thus, similarly, it is not right for us to disregard and disrespect Mary, who is the Mother of God, if we truly love and honour the Lord, our God. We cannot claim to be Christ’s disciple, follower or His faithful ones if we treat Mary with disdain or contempt, or ignore her as if she is just like another ordinary human beings. Yes, there is no doubt that Mary is a human being just like us, but she has been prepared, by God’s singular grace, to be special, being full of grace and free from the taint of original sin, as the Church from its earliest days had believed.

That was why in our Gospel passage today, the Archangel Gabriel in the account of the Lord’s Annunciation greeted Mary with ‘Full of Grace’, which highlighted her special status as a hallowed being, spared by God from any taint of original sin, and through her total obedience to the will of God, her love for Him and her commitment, she has become the worthy vessel through whom the Saviour of this world, the Son of God Himself, became incarnate in the flesh, and entered into our world. Mary is the New Ark of the New Covenant, and the great Tabernacle of the Lord’s Holy Presence, through whom God is revealed to us all. And as last week we celebrate together, the Lord raised her up and assumed her into Heaven, body and soul, to be with Him and to rule together in Heaven, showing us all that Mary is truly a Queen worthy of our honour and respect.

With Mary, our Mother and Queen being by the side of her Son in Heaven, at the side of the Throne of God, all of us have a truly great ally in the daily struggles of life, and in all the challenges that this world present to us. Through Mary, all of us are shown the light of God’s salvation and grace, and we have the most sure and direct path to her Son, our Lord, Saviour and King. Mary has also been given to us as our Mother, as a loving mother to care for us and all of us as her beloved children. Mary has shown us the perfect example of faith and commitment, dedication and obedience to God and His will. She is also our greatest intercessor, ever praying and interceding on our behalf, and ever asking her Son to show us all His mercy, kindness and love, for us all sinners, her wayward sons and daughters.

Let us all seek to emulate Mary’s examples, and let us all strive to live our lives worthily of the Lord from now on. Let us all no longer be easily swayed and tempted by the allure of worldly glory, evils and wickedness, and by the temptations of our desires, greed, ambition and pride, all of which may end up leading us to our downfall. Let us all ask Mary, our Queen and Mother, to pray for us all and to help inspire us and guide us in our journey of faith and life, so that in all the things that we say and do, we will always strive to do our best to do God’s will, and to do what we can, in order to live lives that are truly exemplary and genuine as Christians, that is as God’s beloved and holy people. May the Lord continue to be with us and bless all of us in His Church, empowering us to be the shining beacons of His light and truth, now and always. Amen.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

In the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a young virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative Elizabeth is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : White

Psalm 112 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

Alleluia! Praise, o servants of YHVH, praise the Name of YHVH! Blessed be the Name of YHVH now and forever!

From eastern lands to the western islands, may the Name of YHVH be praised! YHVH is exalted over the nations; His glory above the heavens.

Who is like YHVH our God, Who sits enthroned on high, but also bends down to see on earth as in heaven?

He lifts up the poor from the dust and the needy from the ash heap. He makes them sit with princes, with rulers of His people.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2023 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Isaiah 9 : 1-6

The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death. You have enlarged the nation; You have increased their joy. They rejoice before You, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice in dividing the spoil.

For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, You have broken it as on the day of Midian. Every warrior’s boot that tramped in war, every cloak rolled in blood, will be thrown out for burning, will serve as fuel for the fire.

For a Child is born to us, a Son is given us; the royal ornament is laid upon His shoulder, and His Name is proclaimed : “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

To the increase of His powerful rule in peace, there will be no end. Vast will be His dominion, He will reign on David’s throne and over all his kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forever. The zealous love of YHVH Sabaoth will do this.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2017 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we mark the feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is exactly one week after the great Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary into heaven, and is a reaffirmation of the special status which Mary has in the history of salvation and in the history of this world and mankind.

For there is no greater human being than Mary, as although she remained a mere human being, but because of her great piety and her great humility, and ultimately because she has allowed herself to become the vessel of God’s salvation, obediently allowing God to perform His great works through her, she has become the mother of our God and Saviour.

As I have mentioned during the Solemnity of the Assumption, Mary was granted the singular honour amongst all other men and women, for she was lifted up bodily and soul into the glory of heaven, for she has borne the Saviour of the world, Who saved all mankind from sin and death, and therefore, it is only right that He would also save her as well.

And we all believe that Mary is now in the glory of heaven, seated at the side of her Son, the King and ruler of Heaven and all the universe. And if in the history long past, the mother of a king is considered a queen, by the virtue of the kingship of her son, even if she herself was not a royalty or noble by birth, then the same should have also applied for the case of Mary.

If she is the mother of the King of Heaven and all the Universe, then by that virtue also, she has been made a queen. And therefore rightly she had been granted the following titles by the Church, that of the Queen of Heaven, the Queen of Angels, the Queen of All Saints and the Queen of Peace, amongst many others. We honour her because of her Son, our Lord and King, and certainly just as when a king’s mother is honoured, the king is also honoured, then it is the same case with Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

And to us, Mary has a special place in our faith, because she is the greatest and first among all the saints, the holy men and women of God. She is the one closest to her Son in heaven, and as she has proven from time to time, in her various apparitions, she is always constantly thinking about each and every one of us, mankind, as she is our mother who cares for us, just as she cared for her Son, Jesus. Jesus our Lord Himself has entrusted us to her from the cross, as He laid there dying to fulfil the salvation He promised to us mankind.

Mary is our greatest intercessor, and she is always pleading for our sake, that God may have mercy on us. She has shown us all the examples of how to be faithful and obedient to the will of God, and by following her examples, we will be able to draw closer to her Son, and thus will be worthy to receive His salvation and eternal glory. And through her various apparitions, Mary always reminded us mankind to seek her Son and to repent from our sinful ways.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, as today we rejoice in Mary, our mother and Queen, let us all ask for her intercession, that she will continue to pray for our sake, and implore her Son to forgive us our trespasses, that through her words and intercession, God may be moved to guide us to the path towards righteousness. And then, let us also strive to do our best to imitate the examples of Mary in faith, that we may learn to give ourselves completely and dedicate our whole being to the Lord.

May the Lord bless us always, and remain with us, and may through the intercession of His blessed mother Mary, Queen of Heaven, Queen of All Saints, Queen of Angels, Queen of Peace, and through the intercession of all the other holy saints and martyrs, all of us may be brought ever closer to God’s love and grace, and be forgiven from our sins when we repent with sincerity and commitment to live a new life filled with faith. Amen.

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Tuesday, 22 August 2017 : 20th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : White

Luke 1 : 26-38

At that time, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God, to a town of Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent to a virgin, who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

The Angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” Mary was troubled at these words, wondering what this greeting could mean. But the Angel said, “Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you. You shall conceive and bear a Son; and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great, and shall rightly be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the kingdom of David, His ancestor; He will rule over the people of Jacob forever; and His reign shall have no end.”

Then Mary said to the Angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the Angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the Holy Child to be born of you shall be called Son of God. Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, although she was unable to have a child; and she is now in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me as you have said.” And the Angel left her.