Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today's Mass Readings

Today is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Her queenship affirms not only her role as Queen Mother, since she is Jesus’ mother, but also in her resurrection and life in heaven. We see an important Old Testament witness to the belief in the resurrection from the dead in today’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel. In Ezekiel’s vision, he sees a valley of dried up bones raised to life by God’s Spirit. In Judaism, this vision has inspired lots of speculations about the resurrection from the dead. Outside of the old city of Jerusalem, you can go today and see a enormous graveyard, filled with thousands and thousands of gravestones. Some Jews desire to be buried right outside the old city of Jerusalem because they believe their Messiah will come to that city through the golden doors facing the tombs, and just as in Ezekiel’s vision which we read about today, when the Messiah comes, God’s spirit will revive them and they will be raised in Jerusalem to live in the eternal city with God’s Messiah.

We Christians also believe Ezekiel’s vision pertains to the resurrection. It gives us hope that one day we too will experience the resurrection from the dead, hinted at in Ezekiel’s vision. We see this first with Jesus, but also with His Queen Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. Looking to Mary and Jesus, let us press on and live the Christian life with the sure hope of rising again from the dead at the end. Let this be a motivation to live out the Christian faith as fervently as possible here on earth. Inspired with the hope of resurrection joy, let us live lives of faith, hope, and love, and witness this joy in our lives, so that others too may rejoice in the hope of resurrection.

Jeff Morrow