August 22, the Queenship of Mary.
The prayer of the Hail Holy Queen is one of the most beautiful prayers ever composed. It was composed by Blessed Herman Contractus of the 11th century. Considering the author, it is that much more powerful. He had a cleft palate and cerebral palsy. Blessed Herman suffered. He was raised by monks and eventually became one himself, being wheeled out on a cart. I can feel what he must have felt whenever I pray that prayer and other Marian prayers that he composed. Blessed Herman poured out so much in the Salve Regina. It is a prayer of hope*, a loving pleading.
The Queen is so close to us. She makes our life sweet. She brings us LIFE. Our sufferings become more bearable when we know that our Mother is mercifully looking down upon us, her children. She is a symbol of hope and at the same time our hope itself. She intercedes for us with her Son on our behalf. God Most Merciful and Compassionate, has bestowed upon us the great gift of the immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God.
When Jesus ascended into heaven he took his place at the right hand of the father. he is with us and within us, most especially in the holy Eucharist. The Lord Jesus also took his mother up into heaven, body and soul, so that she can also be with us as our mother. He, the King of the Universe, crowned her as the Queen of the Same. Our Lady reminds us that God will raise us all from the dead at the last day and will give us all a crown of victory.
She is also my friend.
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and, after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus!
* I like the definition: “confident expectation of fulfillment”
(10th Anniversary of pilgrimage to Lourdes)