The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

  At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.”
  As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life,

She is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work,

because of her preeminent perfection, and because of her intercessory power.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

1st Reading: 

Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 140-10, 22

There was a famine in the land during the time of the Judges, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah departed with his wife and

two sons, to sojourn in the country of Moab.

Naomi's husband Elimelech died. She was left with her two sons, who married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the

other Ruth.

After living in Moab for about ten years, Mahlon and Chilion also died; and Naomi was left bereft of husband and two sons. Having heard that the Lord had come to help his people by giving them food, Naomi prepared to return home.

Again they sobbed and wept. Then Orpah kissed her mother- in-law goodbye, but Ruth clung to her. Naomi said, “Look, your sister in-law returns to her people and her gods. You too, must return. Go after her."

Ruth replied, "Don't ask me to leave you. For I will go where you go and stay where you stay. Your people will be my people and your god, my God.

Thus it was that Naomi returned from Moab with her Moabite daughter-in-law and arrived in Bethlehem as the barley harvest began.

 

   

Ps 146:5-6ab, 6c-7, 8-9a, 9bc-10

Praise the Lord, my soul!

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40

Then the Pharisees heard how Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they assembled together. One of them, a lawyer, questioned him to test him, "Teacher, which commandment of the law is the greatest?"

Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and the most important of the commandments. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets are founded on these two commandments."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Mary leads us to Christ.

Testimony to the Church's longstanding belief in Mary's Assumption and heavenly Queenship can be found in the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Likewise, the two feasts are placed together in the liturgical calendar a week, or octave, apart to show that the two mysteries are connected. God would not allow corruption to touch Mary's mortal flesh as she was the mother of his Son. And as Christ is King of the Universe and Lord of all, it is fitting that his mother be honored as Queen, taking her place at his side in glory, just as she faithfully stood beside him in his passion. Yet, this praise of Mary in the liturgy and in our devotions is not to be misconstrued as a worship of Our Lady. Rather, it is a praise of one so highly blessed that assists us in our worship of God, since contemplation of Mary's love of God leads us to do the same. Thus, Saint Leo XIII taught that in the Rosary we accompany Mary in her contemplation of Christ. And so, Mary leads us to Christ and our prayer with Mary helps us in to deepen our love of God and of our neighbour.