Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of the Queenship of Mary (22nd August, 2018) on the Gospel and the
Memorial
Ezek 34:1-11;
Ps 22. (R. v. 1);
Matt 20:1-16.
Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But
Mary’s queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced
that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the
Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries
of Mary’s life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share
in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of
the king has great influence in court. The feast is a logical follow-up to the
Assumption and is now celebrated on the octave day of that feast. In his 1954
encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pius XII points out that Mary deserves the
title because 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.[1]
Topic: Duty bound.
In today’s gospel, Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to “a
landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into
his vineyard.” He also sent into his vineyard those he saw standing in the
marketplace at about nine o’clock, about noon, about three o’clock, and even at
about five o’clock. In the evening, the owner of the vineyard asked his manager
to pay the labourers beginning from the last. When those who were hired first
saw that all including those who worked just an hour were paid the usual daily
wage, they grumbled against the landowner.
The expectation of those who came first looks plausible.
However, they forgot that besides being bound to pay those who worked for him
(cf. Lev 19:13), the landowner is
also bound to be generous to everybody (cf. Is 58:7, 10; Ezek 18:7, 16; Matt 25:35, 42.
This is a good illustration of how God deals with all
creatures, cf. Matt 5:45. God “does
not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our
iniquities” (Ps 103:10). He expects
us to deal with our brothers and sisters in the same way, cf. Matt 18:33; 1Jn 4:11. Mary whose queenship
we celebrate today apart from her duties to Jesus and Joseph visited Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-56), interceded for the couple at
Cana in Galilee (Jn 2:1-11), prayed with
the apostles (Acts 1:12-14), among so
many others. So as you pay those who worked for you, do not forget others who need
your help.
Bible Reading: Ps 103:1-22.
Thought for today: It is not by your merit.
Let us pray: Lord, thank you for your overflowing
kindness in and around us – Amen.
Mary, Queen and mother – Pray for us.
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others if you consider it worthy.
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May
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