Category Archives: Assumption of Mary

The FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY of the Rosary – THE CORONATION OF MARY AS QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Apologetics, Assumption of Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Church, Community, Converts, Evangelism, Family, Healing, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Jewish roots, Nativity, Prayer, Rosary, Scripture, Tradition, Women, , ,

First of all, I feel so inadequate to write this because I was brought up as a Protestant Methodist (I converted in 1972) and I heard very little about Mary when I was growing up. About the only time we heard about her was at Christmas. However, after becoming Catholic, I have grown in love with Mary, not only as the mother of Jesus, but also as my mother. Because of this, I am very excited to write about her Queenship. Believe me, most Protestants do not understand how we Catholics can see Mary as Queen. Hopefully, this might help. I think that it is interesting that the Protestant Evangelist and Conservative commentator, Charlie Kirk, only two months before his assassination/death, had this to say, “But let me first say, I think we as Protestants and Evangelicals under-venerate Mary. She was very important. She was a vessel for our Lord and Savior. I think that we, as Evangelicals and Protestants, we’ve overcorrected. We don’t talk about Mary enough. We don’t venerate her enough. Mary was clearly important to early Christians. There’s something there. In fact, I believe one of the ways that we fix toxic feminism in America is that Mary is the solution. Have more young ladies be pious, be reverent, be full of faith, slow to anger, slow to words at times. Mary is a phenomenal example, and I think a counter to so much of the toxicity of feminism in the modern era.” Whether or not you agree with the political side of that statement, I think that it is notable that a Protestant Evangelical made such a statement about Mary. I once read an article stating that Mary would be the one who brings the Protestant and Catholic Church back together. I would love to see that happen.

The main scripture that shows Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth is Revelation 12: 1-6 which describes a woman, with a Crown of 12 stars giving birth to a male child who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” It tells how the Devil wished to devour the child. This vision that Saint John descibes, clearly shows Mary, the Mother of Jesus as a Queen. But the question is often asked, “why does the Church need a Queen? Didn’t Mary fulfill her duty by giving birth and raising Jesus?” The answer is clearly, no. Mary was chosen not only to be the mother of Jesus but our mother too, She was chosen to be the Queen of Heaven and Earth. We can understand this better when we look at the Hebrew scriptures and the history of their Kings. Don’t forget that Jesus is known as the King of Kings and Son of David. The Davidic Kingdom finds its fulfillment in Jesus as KING OF THE UNIVERSE.

In the Davidic Kingdom of the Jews, the King had primary authority and often they had many brides. Even if there was one favored bride, the Mother of the King was known as the Queen. This was a recognized office and not just a title. In her office she possessed a Crown and a Throne and had signigicant powers. The Queen had the title of Gebirah (Hebrew for Great Lady) and served as a powerful and influential person within the King’s royal court. Often the King would have his subjects go to her with their requests and she would bring to him the ones she thought were necessary and would often handle many on her own. Catholics continue this tradition by often bringing to Mary their intercessions, to then to bring to Jesus. Remember that the Queen mother had the highest royal position, even above any of the King’s wives. Today the Church is seen as the Bride of Christ and we can all thus be seen as his bride (males too). There are many scriptures that show this, but my favorite is Isaiah 54:5 – “For your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is His name; and the Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called.” However, even though we have many Brides of the King, we have only one Queen, His mother Mary. This is just like the Davidic Kings.

Bathsheba, the wife of Solomon, is known as the first Gebirah, or Queen mother. Many others followed; Maacha, Azubah, Zibiah, Jehoaddom, Jecholiah, Jerusha, Abi, Hephzihah, Meshullemeth, Jedidah, Hamutal, Zebidah, and Nehusta who was the last when the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom. It should also be noted that the royal expression for addressing the Gebirah was “the mother of my Lord”. This is the same exxpression that Elizabeth called Mary when the Visitation occurred (Luke 1:43). Even Elizabeth, during that very special meeting, while Jesus was still within Mary’s womb, recognized Mary as the Gebirah or Queen Mother. Today the Church continues that tradition of recognizing Mary as the Queen Mother, the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Why? Because Jesus is the King of Kings, the King of Heaven and Earth and Mary is His Mother and both Scripture and Tradition tell us to..

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1 – Do I really honor Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth?

2 – Do I appreciate the rich link between our Christian faith and the Jewish traditions?

3 – Do I see Mary as someone to intercede to?

4 – Do I recognize Jesus as the King of the Universe?

5 – Do I see how God was at work within the Jewish nation and how it led to our beliefs today?

6 – Do I stand up for my beliefs even among people who believe differently than me?

7 – Can I think of ways to give special honor to Mary, as Queen of the Universe”

8 – Again, how am I doing on praying the Rosary on a regular basis?

9 – In the midst of her Queenship, can I see Mary as my mother?

10 – Do I understand how special I am as a believer in Jesus, as having Him as my Spouse and as having His Mother as my mother too?

The FOURTH MYSTERY of the Rosary – THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY IN TO HEAVEN – by Deacon Marty McIndoe

Ascension, Assumption of Mary, Blessed Virgin Mary, Books, Church, Early Church Fathers, Holiness, How to be Catholic, Prayer, Relationships, Relics, Resurrection, Rosary, Saints, Scripture, Spirituality, Tradition, Women, ,

This is the only Mystery of the Rosary that does not have a DIRECT scriptural reference. It has a very strong TRADITIONAL reference going all the way back to the apostles. This mystery celebrates the fact that Mary, at the completion of her time on earth, was taken body and soul in to heaven. The Church carefully uses the word ASSUMPTION for Mary compared to ASCENSION for Jesus. The ASCENSION of Jesus implies that He did this on His own (by His own power – He was God). The ASSUMPTION of Mary implies that it was done to her (not by her own power – She was human). There are several indirect scriptural passages that can be used in seeing how this happened. First of all, the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament) tell us that two previous human beings were taken in to heaven, Enoch and Elijah. Genesis 5:24 tells us about Enoch and 22 Kings 2:11 tells us about Elijah. These set the precedent for Mary being taken up too. Also Psalm 132:8 describes God arising into his resting place with the ark. Mary is seen as the new Ark of the Covenant, in that she carried the very presence of God within her. In line with that, Revelation 11:19 shows the presence of the Ark in heaven right before it describes Mary as Queen of Heaven in Chapter 12.

One of the ways that we can see that Catholic Tradition is correct about the bodily assumption of Mary is by considering that there are two tombs, dating back to the earliest times that say that Mary had died there. Both were in places where she had lived, one in Ephesus and the other in Jerusalem. Both of these tombs are empty and tradition indicates that although Mary was placed there after her death, the tombs were found to be empty shortly afterwards. ALSO, the Church loves relics (including body pieces) and has relics from the Apostles and the early Saints, it does not have any body relics of Mary. There have been attempts to reconcile the two separate traditional places of Mary’s “dormition” but we simply do not know. I have been to both spots, the tomb in Jerusalem and the tomb in Ephesus, Turkey. Both are credible but I have to say that the location in Ephesus sent shivers up and down my spine. I felt the presence of Mary there and it was a very holy place.

Although the Assumption of Mary was believed and celebrated from the earliest times, it was not made a dogma of the Church until 1950. The Assumption of Mary tells us many things. First of all, it highlights the position of Mary as the Mother of Jesus. Secondly, it shows us what all Christians will be receiving at the end of time. The very fact that the unstained (Immaculate Conception of Mary) body of Mary is the “NEW -ARK OF THE COVENANT” demands that it could not be left on the earth to decay. For me, it also tells me that my mother (Mary given to us in John 19: 26-27) is alive in Her fullness. I personally believe that is why she appears to us in so many apparitions. Hail Mary, FULL OF GRACE………

QUESTIONS TO PONDER:

1 – Do I consider the Blessed Virgin Mary an important part of God’s plan of salvation?

2 – Do I consider the Blessed Virgin Mary an important part of my life, especially in prayer?

3 – Do I consider Mary as my mother too, as Jesus said in John 19: 26-27?

4 – Have I tried to find out more about Mary (suggestion for Scott Hahn’s book, Hail Holy Queen)?

5 – Do I see Mary as the Ark of the Covenant?

6 – Do I pray the rosary often?

7 – Do I understand that someday I too, like Mary, will be body and soul together in Heaven?

8 – Do I appreciate the role of Tradition in my faith?

9 – Do I believe that I will be going to heaven after my time on earth is done?

10 – Am I doing what is necessary to get in to heaven?