This is the eighth part of a series that follows the biblical story of Mary throughout May. To honor her during her month, we are diving deeper into the mysteries of the Rosary that mention Mary in the corresponding Scripture passage—and reflecting on the Blessed Mother’s role through the Gospels.
Need to catch up? You can find the other parts of the series here: Part One: The Annunciation, Part Two: The Visitation, Part Three: The Nativity, Part Four: The Presentation, Part Five: Finding Jesus, Part Six: Wedding at Cana, Part Seven: The Cross.
The Coronation of Mary
Revelation 12:1-6 gives us great insight into the honor Christ has given his mother. A sign appears in the heavens! A woman crowned with twelve stars and adorned with the sun. She stands on the moon, about to give birth to a male child. A son “who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron.”
In all of human history no woman has ever been granted so much honor as Mary. It is fitting to see her adorned with a crown. God chose her alone to be his mother. This is not merely a biological relationship. Christ was subject to Mary as a son is subject to his mother. The Lord of all creation made himself subject to the authority of Mary. She truly is Jesus’ mom.
Queen Mother
Jesus is the heir to the throne of David. In the Davidic kingdom, the king’s mother held a special place of honor. She was the Gebirah, or Queen Mother. She held great esteem, honored not only by her son, but by the entire kingdom. In her turn, the queen mother acted as an advocate for the people, bringing petitions to her son, but never usurping his authority. We can see an example of this through Bathsheba in the court of her son Solomon (1 Kings 2:19-23). Solomon, the king, honors his mother. He bows to her and has her seated at his right. She makes her request, but ultimately it is the king’s authority that rules. Jesus is the heir to the throne that Solomon sat on. As Bathsheba was Queen Mother to Solomon, in Revelation 12 we see Mary revealed as Queen Mother to Christ.
By better understanding the honor Christ gives his mother we better understand the honor we should give her. Mary is not just another holy woman. She is Gebirah. She is Queen Mother. It is an honor Jesus gives her. It is also a gift he gives us. Mary, as Queen Mother, is an advocate for us. It is a role Christ has given her. Do not be afraid to go to her. Do not be afraid to honor her as Queen Mother. In doing so you glorify Christ by imitating him and accepting the gift he has given us in Mary.
Discussion
Mary is our mother, and she is the Queen Mother. How can we honor her as Queen Mother, and still approach her intimately as children?
This concludes our Mary’s May Crowning series. Thank you for reading. We hope it has helped our readers become closer to Christ through Mary.
Learn How to Pray Like Mary with Sonja Corbitt’s upcoming book. Pre-order Here.
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Chris Mueller is a youth minister from Murrieta, California. He crafts dynamic talks that communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that resonates with teen and adult audiences alike. Chris is the president and founder of Everyday Catholic, an organization that calls Catholic families, young adults, and teens into a deeper relationship with Christ and his Church. Chris and his wife, Christina, live in California with their five children.
This article was first published on the Ascension Blog’s former home, The Great Adventure Blog. To learn more about The Great Adventure Catholic Bible studies, click here.
How old was mary
why can only a women crown mary in the May crowning?
Was the Crowning August 22 or May?
It is August 22. This post was part of a series where we discussed the mysteries of the Rosary where Mary was present. The series posted throughout May, the month of Mary. Interestingly enough, though, the Feast of the Coronation of Mary was May 31 up until 1968.