Why Do Catholics Believe That Mary Is the Queen of Heaven? *

Bathsheba was the mother of King Solomon of Israel (see 1 Kgs 1:28-30). As any loving son would do, he obeyed God's command to honor his mother (see Ex 20:12). So even though the highest officials of the kingdom bowed when they come before his throne, Solomon himself stood and bowed before her when she entered the court.

Once he sat down again on his throne, "a throne was provided for the king's mother, who sat at his right" (1 Kgs 2:19), the highest place of honor he could give her. Then, when she interceded there with the king for his subjects, he gladly granted her request (see 1 Kgs 2:20).

Why did Bathsheba have her own throne at her son's right hand? Why did she receive such exalted honor at court? After all, she herself had not been born in a palace. Nevertheless, Bathsheba had borne this magnificent royal son. That made her the queen mother of the land, despite whatever humble circumstances from which she herself may have come.

Now consider this: Solomon may have been one of the most illustrious and powerful kings in biblical history. But his splendor pales to nothing besides the radiant glory of his descendant Jesus Christ, the "King of kings and Lord of lords," ruler of all the nations (see Rv 19:16; 15:4). Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that from David's throne would rule a Prince of Peace whose kingdom would be universal and everlasting (see Is 9:5-6). That throne is now "in the heavens, far above every principality, authority, power and dominion" (Eph 1:20-21).

If Solomon honored Bathsheba so highly as his queen mother, how much more must Jesus honor Mary as his own? How much more exalted must be the woman--however lowly her original state (see Lk 1:48)--who bore the Son of God, Sovereign of the universe? No doubt her throne, too, is at the right hand of her Son's throne in heaven. And no doubt, just as Solomon was eager to grant his mother's request, so Jesus gladly responds to her intercession for his subjects.

Mary's exalted role among the saints also reflects her extraordinary position as our great exemplar of faith, the prototype of the Christian disciple. With St. Elizabeth, we say to her: "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Lk 1:45).

In St. John's vision of heaven, the "woman clothed with sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars," bore a son "destined to rule all the nations" (Rv 12:1, 5). Is it any wonder that in such a portrait, Catholics see Mary as the Queen of Heaven? See Mary

Other related scriptures: 2 Kgs 10:13; Est 5:1-5; Ps 45:14; Jn 2:1-12; Rv 20:4.

Catechism of the Catholic Church: 964-966; 972; 974-975.

*Quoted from The New Catholic Answer Bible. Wichita, Kansas, Fireside Catholic Publishing, 2005. www.firesidecatholic.com

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