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| ©Lawrence Klimecki (Private Commission) |
In ancient times, for political reasons, a king may have have had many wives, none of whom would be styled “Queen.” The title of queen was reserved for the king’s mother. The queen mother was accorded much respect and devotion, not only by the people but by the king himself.
When Bathsheba, the widow of King David, came to her son King Solomon with a request, he told her, “make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” (1Kings 2:20)
As the mother of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, King of Earth and Heaven, Mary is rightly called the Queen of Heaven. We venerate her in the sense that we revere her, we regard her with great respect, honor, and esteem. We ask for her prayers as we would ask anyone close to us to pray for us.
There is an old folk story that perhaps best represents our relationship with the mother of Jesus.
The Lord was walking around Heaven one day and noticed many souls enjoying the Kingdom of Heaven that for one reason or another should not be there. He called Peter, to whom he had given the keys to the Kingdom, and asked why these souls were not turned away at the gates.
“I did Lord, I told them they could not come in, but…”
“Yes?” asked the Lord gently,
“But they just went around to the back and your mother let them in.”
It is said that when you fear to ask the son, go and ask his mother instead. Mary is the mother of all the faithful given to us by her son from the cross. As a mother loves her children, Mary is always ready to go to her son on our behalf.
This painting includes several symbols associated with Mary in art. Lilies represent her purity, as the living ark that would bear God made flesh, she was preserved from sin. The stars within the halo surrounding her head are a reference to “the woman clothed with the sun” in the Book of Revelation (more on this fascinating figure in a future post) and a reference to her title “Queen of Heaven.” The three stars on her mantle are taken from traditional iconography and represent her perpetual virginity, before, during, and after the birth of Christ. The symbols in the upper corners also come from the tradition of iconography and are abbreviations for her title “Mother of God.”
May this image remind us of the great advocate we have in the Blessed Mother, and the love she bears for us all.