The Fifth Glorious Mystery: The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven

The following is the nineteenth of twenty monthly reflections about the Mysteries of the Rosary as they relate to family life.  The mysteries will not be necessarily chronological but presented as they interact with the liturgical year.

            Given the number of children’s stories that portray members of royalty prominently, it is little wonder my boys have been somewhat fixated on the subject lately.  Their favorite activity is to assign roles to our family, but it took them a while to understand how they all could claim the title of prince.  My most amusing conversation was with my oldest son recently when he told me that, since I was a king, I could simply do whatever I wanted.  I assured him that even a king has restrictions and responsibilities, and if the queen is not happy with something, my title means very little!
             This month, we consider the final Glorious Mystery as Mary is crowned Queen of Heaven.  This is the culmination of all we have come to know and believe about Mary: her Immaculate Conception, her “yes” to God’s request to be Jesus’ mother, the sorrows she endured in life, and her Assumption into heaven.  All of this leads us to what must have been a blessed and wondrous reception into heaven.  The challenge for us is to understand how meditating upon this mystery can enhance our life of faith.
            The first item of importance that came to my mind is fidelity.  To whom or to what do we both pledge and actually give our loyalty?  With Mary, there is no doubt.  She gives her entire life to God and allows the means of our salvation to be born through her cooperation.  Not only that, she also remains faithful during what must have been very trying times, never forsaking hope that God was in control and had a plan.  Our loyalties are often less obvious or committed.  Many things can distract us from our vocations.  But Mary’s life is an important reminder of what God can do with a faithful servant.
            Also, since the intended audience of these reflections is those in families, I think it is essential to remember that Mary lived as she did while a wife and mother.  We sometimes may catch ourselves thinking of holy people in our lives and mentally making excuses for why we fall short.  Perhaps it is a priest, brother, or sister we admire, and we then think how much freedom we would have without the ever-present demands of family life.  Of course, we know that each Christian vocation has its own challenges and joys, and in Mary, we have someone who knows what is like to have a spouse and to pray for the safety and well-being of one’s child.  She managed all this while remaining true to God’s purpose for her.  Thus, she became an exemplary inspiration for us all.
            As we close our series on the Rosary, it is fitting that our final reflection surrounds Mary. She points us to God in all things, and she renews our hope that we, too, might accept the salvation offered to us. The rhythm of the Rosary is one the mimics our everyday lives. Much seems the same in our daily routine, but periodically, astounding and grace-filled moments occur. We have to ensure that the concerns of our day are not so prominent that they distract us from God’s actions because when we do notice them, we cannot help but be filled with gratitude. In the end, it is during our daily living that we ponder these things, like Mary, in our hearts.