Isaiah 9:1-4 / Luke 1:26-38
This feast of the Queenship of Mary is a 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 and because she is closely associated as the New Eve and she cooperated with the redemptive work of Jesus
Her queenship of heaven and earth flows from the universal kingship of Christ, just as her Assumption into heaven flows from the saving grace of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus.
Hence all that is said about Mary and all that is bestowed unto Mary is closely associated with and flows from the blessings that Jesus won for us on the Cross.
So in honouring Mary as our Queen, we join her to worship Jesus our king, and we also follow Mary's example of offering our lives in service of God and to do His will.
In asking for Mary's intercession, we also join with her in prayer to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit upon us.
As we heard in the gospel, when Mary asked the angel Gabriel, "How can this come about since I am a virgin?", the angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come down upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow."
So on this feast of Mary our Queen, let us join her to invoke our Lord and King to send forth His power and might and protect us under the shadow of His hand.
May we also open our hearts to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to know the will of God and together with Mary our Queen, let us continue to build the kingdom of God.