Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Queen and Sovereign, pray for us






Madonna and Child
Enric Monserday Vidal (1850-1926) 








"If the Son is King, the mother who begot Him is rightly and truly considered a Queen and Sovereign,”  said St. Athanasius, feast day May 2.


Mary, according to all the doctors, is not a queen of justice but a queen of mercy intent only in commiserating and pardoning sinners. A sovereign typically has unlimited resources, power and authority. We can be sure that the Mother of God offers us poor sinners unlimited support and graces especially when we are ill treated and severely maligned as was St. Athanasius. 


We need to remember to supplicate her as Queen and Mother. Remember the famous Memorare prayer: Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy… Athanasius put himself in Mary’s hands and she helped him bear his many exiles, disappointments and extensive grief even with joy and complete resignation. He strongly aligned himself with Mary and made the greatest contribution to new interest in the person and mission of the Virgin Mary in the plan of salvation.


The bishop of Alexandria became a vigorous defender and affirmer of the teaching of revelation on the Mother of the Lord. In praise of Mary, Athanasius said, “Oh noble Virgin, truly you are greater than any other greatness. For who is your equal in greatness, O dwelling place of God the Word? To whom among all creatures shall I compare you, O Virgin?” 


 No creature can be compared to Mary. She is truly the Mother of God. She had the physical presence of God, in Flesh, dwelling within her body for nine months exactly as all pregnant mothers. Jesus and Mary came exactly as us and identified exactly as us except our human inclination toward sin. 


edited from doctorsofthecatholicchurch.com


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Prayer to the Mother of God, by St. Athanasius


It becomes you to be mindful of us, as you stand near him who granted you all graces, for you are the Mother of God and our Queen. Help us for the sake of the King, the Lord God and Master who was born of you. For this reason, you are called full of grace. Remember us, most holy Virgin, and bestow on us gifts from the riches of your graces, Virgin full of graces. 



2 comments:

  1. What a beautiful image! I don't think I've ever seen this one before. Thank you for sharing it!

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  2. I only recently discovered it myself, Charlotte. I dare say it might be my all-time favorite image of our Blessed Mother. I wish I could find it for sale somewhere.

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!