THE ARCHBISHOP of Manila urged Catholics to honor Mary as their queen by lending a hand to the anxious, underprivileged and other people overlooked by society.
During the morning fiesta Mass for the feast and episcopal coronation of Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario, Cardinal Jose Advincula identified charity as one of the three virtues describing Mary’s queenship, alongside communion and motherhood.
“Let our acts of devotion to Our Lady flow into acts of charity for one another, especially those who are needy and underprivileged among us. Let us foster and promote charity, like Mary our queen,” Advincula said at the UST Santísimo Rosario Parish church on Sunday, Oct. 4.
Describing Mary’s queenship, Advincula explained that the tenderness, mercy and benevolence she showed toward those in need were also virtues reflected in Christ’s closeness to the poor.
“She becomes [a] life-bearer in our Church. When we are feeling hopeless and depressed, her presence vivifies us. When we are filled with grief or anxiety, her prayers encourage us. When we feel worn-out or weary, her assistance enlivens us,” Advincula added.
The prelate also referred to Mary as the “principal benefactor” who supported initiatives that care for the sick, the poor and the marginalized.
He noted that Bethlehem, described in the first reading from the Book of Micah as a small and humble place, was chosen as the birthplace of Jesus, who was called the “ruler of Israel.”
“Indeed, God sees what the world often overlooks; he looks towards the ones who are disregarded and discarded, and he looks towards them with mercy and love,” the cardinal said.
The same pattern was also reflected in the mysteries of the Rosary, which, according to Advincula, recall Christ’s closeness to the poor, sick, sinners, children, widows, strangers and others pushed to the margins.
“The Rosary leads us to recognize and foster the dignity of the small and the vulnerable,” he added.
The Thomasian cardinal related the pattern to Mary’s virtue of communion as a queen, stating that the rosary brings people together in an interconnected yet isolated world.
“In a world that is now more connected technologically, but isolated personally, the Rosary offers us the chance to come back to each other,” he said.
“As we pray the Rosary together, we learn to listen to one another, pray for one another, and stay with one another.”
The prelate also cited Mary’s role as a “life bearer,” not only as the mother of Jesus Christ, but also to the faithful who are seeking her intercession during tough times.
He called on devotees to let their Marian devotion extend beyond prayer to inlcude those in need and underprivileged communities and follow God’s example of looking beyond what the world considers important.
“As we crown Our Lady [of the Most Holy Rosary], let us also commit to bring life to one another… especially those among us who are forlorn and forgotten, discouraged and distressed. Let us be bearers of life, like Mary our mother and queen,” he added.
Episcopal coronation is a recognition bestowed by a bishop that recognizes the deep local devotion to a religious image. The episcopal coronation of the Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario, also the patroness of UST, coincided with the annual parish feast. F – Abigail Peralta
