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Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

August 22nd: Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Gospel text (Lk 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» (...). Then Mary said, «I am the handmaid of the Lord».

Queenship of Mary

Fr. Antoni CAROL i Hostench (Sant Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, on the occasion of this holiday, we ask ourselves: in the eyes of God, what does "reign" really mean? The reaction of the Virgin Mary introduces us to the question: she has just been announced that she will be the Mother of the Son of the Most High - therefore: Mother of God - and she replies "I am the handmaid of the Lord" Thus, greatness is lived in the humbling: it is the logic of God that the mundane logic can't understad.

Nascent Christianity immediately understood. Thus, the Christological hymn of Philippians 2.6-8 (c. 54-61 AD) expresses it with all precision: «Christ, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave (…). He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (…)». In fact, Jesus on the Cross is less than a slave; He looks like a criminal. In parallel, Mary on Calvary is less than a slave; She looks like the mother of a criminal. A complete submission!

—God reigns like this: he manifests his power renouncing to his power; He manifests his love by stripping Himself ... Mary Queen travels exactly along that same path.