Since today is the memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I thought I would write a blog post since I have not written one in a few years. Like the Assumption of Mary, I have written quite a bit on this particular subject because it is close to my heart. Trying to find something new to write each week and year has become increasingly more challenging, but thanks to an increase of some Marian books to my personal library, I am finding information on Our Lady that I was not aware of before.

Today’s blog post comes from the book titled, The Rosary – Chain of Hope written by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. The book focuses on meditations on the 20 Mysteries of the Rosary with Renaissance paintings. If you have never read my blog post about driving Fr. Benedict Groeschel to the airport, at some point, I would encourage you to read it. It was an amazing experience and one that I can remember like it was yesterday. He was such a good and holy man. Heaven is blest by his presence!

Queen of Heaven – Diego Velázquez

Below is Fr. Groeschel’s mediation on the Fifth Glorious Mystery – The Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth –

The glorious coronation of Mary, which in no way resembles the coronation of earthly kings and queens, is a mystical event. It is really Mary coming into the glory of the just. We all know, of course, that saints in immense multitudes have joined her already in the kingdom of heaven, awaiting the resurrection of their bodies. But the image of the Mother of Jesus, the humble virgin of Nazareth, Our Lady of Sorrows, the woman at the Cross, now embracing the presence of the most Holy Trinity, should fill all Christians with the greatest hope and reverence for the mystery of eternal life.

As we grow older, we may have a greater share in the sorrows of life and the pains of age. We may experience difficulty and failure and even the betrayal of friends. We may have to accept the reality of dashed hopes, unfulfilled plans, and dreams that can never come to be. As we struggle to accept this suffering, how beautiful and marvelous it is to lift up our eyes and know with your glorious and risen Savior there is one of His elect, one for who He is Redeemer, Son, and Lord.

The coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, depicted by so many great medieval artists, should encourage and draw each of us to a greater hope of eternal life. For this reason, in the Divine Comedy, Dante used the coronation of the Virgin as the introduction and the symbol of the salvation of the just and the mysterious love of the Christ Jesus Our Lord. He wisely took this event to be the end of the journey of the soul.

Our Lady – Queen of Heaven and Earth…Pray for Us

Today’s blog post is dedicated to my wife. Over the past two years of knowing her, she has helped increase my love and devotion to the Holy Rosary. We have prayed a 54-day Novena three times – at the beginning of our relationship, as we prepared for our wedding day, and for the arrival of our son (which could come any day now). I love you, Megan. 

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