MOST HOLY MARY IS CROWNED AS QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND OF EARTH. HER PREROGATIVES
Most blessed Mary was assigned to the supreme position and state on the Throne of the most blessed Trinity. in order to point out great sacraments, similar terms (Throne) are used by the saints and by the sacred scriptures themselves (Apoc. 1, 4; 3, 21). Although no other argument is really necessary, nevertheless, for those who have not such a deep insight, It is good they know that God, as He is the purest Spirit and at the same time infinite, immense, incomprehensible, has no need of a material throne or seat; for He fills all creation and is present in all creatures; He is comprehended or circumscribed by none, but He himself comprehends and encompasses all things.
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| God fills all creation and is present in all creatures |
The saints do not see God with corporal eyes, but with
those of the soul; but as they see Him in some certain location (in order to
adapt ourselves to our terrestrial and material ways of thinking and speaking)
we say that He is upon the royal Throne of the most blessed
Trinity, though in reality He has his glory within Himself and communicates it
to his saints. But it not be denied, that the most sacred humanity of Christ
our Saviour and of his most blessed Mother holds a place supereminent over all
the saints; and that among the blessed, who are in heaven with body and soul,
there will be some kind of order in their relative position nearer or farther
from Christ our Lord and the Queen; but here is not the place to inquire into
the manner into which this arrangement shall be made in heaven.
Jesus as the king of heaven and earth
We call that the throne of the Divinity, from which God manifests Himself
to the saints as the principal cause of their glory and as the infinite,
eternal God, independent of all things and on whose will all creatures depend,
from which He manifests Himself as the Lord, as the King, as the Judge and
Master of all that is in existence. This dignity Christ the Redeemer possesses,
in as far as He is God, essentially, and as far as He is man, through the
hypostatic union, by which He communicates his Godhead to the humanity. Hence
in heaven He is the King, the Lord and supreme Judge; and the saints, though
their glory exceeds all human calculation, are as servants and inferiors of
this inaccessible Majesty. In this the most holy Mary participates in a degree
next inferior and in a manner otherwise ineffable and proportionate to a mere
creature so closely related to the Godman; and therefore She assists forever at
the right hand of her Son as Queen (Ps. 44, 10) Douay-Rheim version. (Ps 45, 10. Other versions). Lady and Mistress of all
creation, her dominion extending as far as that of her divine Son, although in
a different manner.
Blessed Virgin Mary sitted at the right hand of Her Son clothed with gold of variety (Ps. 44.10) or (Ps.45.10)
After placing the most blessed Mary on this exalted and supereminent
throne, the Lord declared to the courtiers of heaven all the privileges She
should enjoy in virtue of this participation in his majesty. The Person of the
eternal Father, as the first principle of all things, speaking to the angels
and saints, said to them: “Our Daughter Mary was chosen according to
our pleasure from amongst all creatures, the first one to delight Us, and who never
fell from the title and position of a true Daughter, such as We had given Her
in our divine mind; She has a claim on our dominion, which We shall recognize
by crowning Her as the legitimate and peerless Lady and Sovereign.” The incarnate Word said: “To my true and natural Mother belong all the creatures which were
created and redeemed my Me; and of all things over which I am King, She too
shall be the legitimate and supreme Queen.” The Holy Ghost said: “Since She is called my beloved and chosen Spouse, She deserves to be
crowned as Queen for all eternity.”
Having thus spoken the three divine Persons placed upon the head of the
most blessed Mary a crown of such new splendour and value, that the like has
been seen neither before nor after by any mere creature.
A crown never been seen before was placed on Her head
At the same time a
voice sounded from the throne saying: “My Beloved, chosen
among the creatures, our kingdom is Thine; Thou shalt be the Lady and the
Sovereign of the seraphim, of all the ministering spirits, the angels and of
the entire universe of creatures. Attend, proceed and govern prosperously over
them, for in our supreme consistory We give Thee power, majesty and
sovereignty. Being filled with grace beyond all the rest, Thou hast humiliated
Thyself in thy own estimation to the lowest place; receive now the supreme
dignity deserved by Thee and, as a participation in our Divinity, the dominion
over all the creatures of our Omnipotence. From thy royal throne to the centre
of the earth Thou shalt reign; and by the power We now give Thee Thou shalt
subject hell with all its demons and inhabitants. Let all of them fear Thee as
the supreme Empress and Mistress of those caverns and dwelling-places of our
enemies. In thy hands and at thy pleasure We place the influences and forces of
the heavens, the moisture of the clouds, the growths of the earth; and of all
of them do Thou distribute according to thy will, and our own will shall be at
thy disposal for the execution of thy wishes. Thou shalt be the Empress and
Mistress of the militant Church, its Protectress, its Advocate, its Mother and
Teacher. Thou shalt be the special Patroness of the Catholic countries; and
whenever they, or the faithful, or any of the children of Adam call upon Thee
from their heart, serve or oblige Thee, Thou shalt relieve and help them in
their labors and necessities. Thou shalt be the Friend, the Defender and the
Chieftainess of all the just and of our friends; all of them Thou shalt
comfort, console and fill with blessings according to their devotion to Thee.
In view of all this We make Thee the Depositary of our riches, the Treasurer of
our goods; we place into thy hands the helps and blessings of our grace for
distribution; nothing do We wish to be given to the world, which does not pass
through thy hands; and nothing do We deny, which Thou wishest to concede to
men. Grace shall be diffused in thy lips for obtaining all that Thou wishest
and ordainest in heaven and on earth, and everywhere shall angels and men obey
Thee; because whatever is ours shall be thine, just as Thou hast always been
ours; and Thou shalt reign with Us forever.”
Empress and Mistress of heaven and earth and queen of all nations
In the execution of this decree and privilege conceded to the Mistress of
the world, the Almighty commanded all the courtiers of heaven, angels and men,
to show Her obedience and recognize Her as their Queen and Lady. There was
another mystery concealed in this wonder, namely, it was a recompense for the
worship and veneration, which, as is clear from this history, the most blessed
Mary, notwithstanding that She was the Mother of God, full of grace and
holiness above the angels and saints, had bestowed upon the saints during her
mortal pilgrimage. Although during the time when they were comprehensors and
She yet a pilgrim, it was for her greater merit, that She should humble Herself
beneath them all according to the ordainment of the Lord; yet now, when She was
in possession of the kingdom, it was just, that She should be venerated,
worshipped and extolled by them as her inferiors and vassals. This they also
did in that most blessed state, in which all things are reduced to their proper
proportion and order. Both the angelic spirits and the blessed souls, while
rendering their adoration to the Lord with fear and worshipful reverence,
rendered a like homage in its proportion to his most blessed Mother; and the
saints who were there in their bodies prostrated themselves and gave bodily
signs of their worship. All these demonstrations at the coronation of the
Empress of heaven redounded wonderfully to her glory, to the new joy and
jubilee of the saints and to the pleasure of the most blessed Trinity.
Altogether festive was this day, and it produced new accidental glory in all
the heavens. Those that partook more especially therein were her most fortunate
spouse saint Joseph, saint Joachim and Anne and all the other relatives of the
Queen, together with the thousand angels of her guard.
Within the glorious body of the Queen, over her heart, was visible to the
saints a small globe or monstrance of singular beauty and splendour, which
particularly roused and rouses their admiration and joy. It was there in
testimony and reward of her having afforded to the sacramental Word an
acceptable resting place and sanctuary, and of her having received holy
Communion so worthily, purely and holily, without any defect or imperfection,
and with a devotion, love and reverence attained by none other of the saints.
