1. Okay, seriously. If you pray the Liturgy of the Hours and grew up in the 1980s: Do you have Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, Amadeus, AAAAMADEUS… stuck in your head?
You do now?
Today, you see, there’s a reading there from Saint Amadeus of Lausanne on the Queenship of Mary, which is celebrated on August 22:
Dwelling in the loftiest citadel of virtue, like a sea of divine grace or an unfathomable source of love that has everywhere overflowed its banks, she poured forth her bountiful waters on trusting and thirsting souls. Able to preserve both flesh and spirit from death she bestowed health-giving salve on bodies and souls. Has anyone ever come away from her troubled or saddened or ignorant of the heavenly mysteries? Who has not returned to everyday life gladdened and joyful because his request had been granted by the Mother of God?
(There’s more to it and it is quite beautiful.)
And here are the Mass readings for today.
2.
13th-century stained glass from Chartres Cathedral of the Coronation of Our Lady https://t.co/aJGJFBAJvi
— Fr Lawrence Lew OP (@LawrenceOP) August 22, 2015
3. Blessed Henry Suso:
When our heart is oppressed with grief and fear and can find no remedy for its suffering, we have no recourse but to look upward to the Queen of Heaven, the Virgin Mary…. How many sinners, after abandoning and denying their Lord, losing all hope, have found refuge in you, and, under your protection, returned to God’s grace!
I got that quote from an excellent book, Mysteries of the Virgin Mary by Fr. Peter John Cameron. It has a chapter on Mary’s queenship. In it he also quotes St. Albert the Great: “The throne of grace is the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
4. A clear tweet about Mary:
All the honor the Church accords to Christ's Mother directs our attention to the mystery of the Incarnation- God become man in Christ.
— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) August 22, 2015
5. Looking for another book about Mary? This new one from Paul Thigpen and Saint Benedict Press is beautiful.
6.
A simple way to call on the Blessed Mother courtesy of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. pic.twitter.com/VBnoCiUHut
— Fr. Thomas Petri, OP (@petriop) August 22, 2015
7.
Mary humbles herself always. #homilytweet pic.twitter.com/taaDX8RlKe
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) August 22, 2015
The photo that I tweeted here comes from the World Meeting of Families office conference room in Philadelphia; I took it earlier in the week:
She who humbled herself is now exalted in Heaven! #homilytweet pic.twitter.com/4G6qVwRLgC
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) August 22, 2015
Seek holiness! Always be humble. Know our need for God's mercy. #homilytweet
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) August 22, 2015
Queen of Heaven, our Mother, pray for us. #homilytweet (St. Catherine of Siena, NYC) pic.twitter.com/IcgS4dIYRh
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) August 22, 2015
No earthly exaltation is important. The only exhalation that important is that of the saints–of Heaven #homilytweet pic.twitter.com/124HLzHniB
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) August 22, 2015
Those tweets actually come courtesy of a new Dominican priest who talked with me about Mary while he was still a student brother last year, here.
8.
Mary, our Mother and Queen, we rejoice in your care, marvel at your love, and follow the example of your faith. pic.twitter.com/2Ezl8sfOgb
— Fr. Patrick Brennan (@Pathound) August 22, 2015
devotion to Our Lady is an important element of spiritual life. In our prayers let us not fail to address her with trust. Mary will not fail to intercede for us with her Son. Looking at her, let us imitate her faith, her full availability to God’s plan of love, her generous acceptance of Jesus. Let us learn how to live from Mary. Mary is the Queen of Heaven who is close to God but she is also the Mother who is close to each one of us, who loves us and listens to our voice.
10.
"On your right stands the Queen in gold of Ophir" (Ps 45:9) @ Dominican House of Studies https://t.co/Oq5yoUf0en
— Fr Lawrence Lew OP (@LawrenceOP) August 22, 2015
PLUS: Bishop-Elect Barron on the Queenship day and the strong statement of the day: