Crowning Our Lady’s Statue

For many Christians around the world May is ‘Mary’s month’ – a month to celebrate Mary’s joy and holiness. We celebrate her wonderful example as one who listened to God. She generously followed God’s will, and became the “God bearer” to the world.

As Mass ended today today we began our keeping of Mary’s month by placing a veil and crown on Mary’s statue, while the ‘This is the image of the Queen’ was sung. These words were used:

We have come here to crown this statue of the Virgin Mother of God.

This ceremony has a lesson to teach us about the Gospel: that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those who are foremost in serving and in love.

Our Lord himself came to serve, not to be served; he drew all things to himself when he was lifted up from the earth, and he reigned from the tree by the power of gentleness and love. And our Lady, whose glory we proclaim today, was the humble servant of the Lord when she was on earth: she gave herself utterly to her Son and his work; with him, and under him, she was an instrument in our redemption. Now, in the glory of heaven, she is still the God-bearer to Christ’s brothers and sisters: she cares about their eternal salvation; she is minister of holiness and queen of love.

Then together we sang out the Regina Coeli – Joy to thee O Queen of Heaven.

We pray that May may be a month of inspiration, service and joy for us all.