When I was living in Spain, the feast of the Immaculate Conception was one of my favorite holidays for two reasons: we didn't have school and it was the day when my mom decorated the Christmas tree. At the age of nine or ten, I was more interested in getting a free day from school than the meaning behind the celebration. It didn't matter that Immaculate Conception was the name of my school. I had never stopped to ponder the meaning behind the title.
The Immaculate Conception means that Mary was conceived without original sin or its stain—that’s what "immaculate" means: without stain. The essence of original sin consists in the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. Mary was preserved from these defects by God’s grace; from the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings.
During the past nine days, I have been praying a novena in preparation for this solemn celebration. I began this meditation with one of the prayers from the novena. It struck me that Mary, aside from being the mother of God, is the Queen of angels and of men. She is the Mother of Christ, who created the angels, "for in Him," says St. Paul, "were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, or principalities or powers: all things were created by Him and in Him" (1 Col 16).
The title of "Queen" is very appropiate for our Blessed Mother. She is our Queen and their Queen. "Mary was made the Queen of all creatures, because she was made the Mother of the Creator" says St. John of Damascus. She is their Queen, because, as she is elevated far above them in dignity and glory, they look up to her with reverence. She is Queen because her son Jesus Christ proclaimed her Queen of earth and of heaven. He loved her beyond angels and saints, and hence adorned her soul with greater grace than that of all other creatures. Mary, then, is indeed the “Queen of Angels.” Her grace and supernatural blessedness lift her far above the most excellent of the elect, to an amazing height of glory at the right hand of her Divine Son. The angels bow low before her, as the Angel Gabriel did at Nazareth. It is a privilege for them to minister to her, whom with that bright spirit they recognize as full of grace, and they are thrilled with delight as forever they proclaim her “blessed among women.”
The angels find in Mary, the most excellent of all of God's creatures. If the faithful servants of Mary on earth have felt their hearts inflamed by the beauty of their celestial Queen; what must be the feelings of those blessed spirits, who see her, as she is, and whose superior nature renders them more capable of appreciating the wonders of God's grace in her than we can possibly be. It is not, then, without reason, that the church says that the angels of God rejoiced at the assumption of this heavenly Queen. "Mary is assumed into heaven: the angels rejoice."
The angels find in Mary, the most excellent of all of God's creatures. If the faithful servants of Mary on earth have felt their hearts inflamed by the beauty of their celestial Queen; what must be the feelings of those blessed spirits, who see her, as she is, and whose superior nature renders them more capable of appreciating the wonders of God's grace in her than we can possibly be. It is not, then, without reason, that the church says that the angels of God rejoiced at the assumption of this heavenly Queen. "Mary is assumed into heaven: the angels rejoice."
Mary's title as "Queen of angels" should remind us, that we also are destined to enjoy the society of angels, and with them admire the wonders of God's power in this heavenly Queen. We should remember that God has assigned some of these heavenly spirits to be the guardians of men on earth. Each one has one of these guardian spirits, to protect him in dangers and assist him in difficulties. When we invoke Mary as Queen of angels, the thought of our future companionship with them for eternity should make us strive to lead lives of angelic innocence. Gratitude for the care they take of us, and for the desire they have for our salvation, should produce in our souls a desire of attending to all the holy inspirations, which they communicate to our souls; that thus we may prove ourselves faithful servants of the Queen of angels, and prepare for the high destiny, that awaits us, of enjoying God in their company for an endless eternity.
The close connection between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Angels is one we see throughout her life on Earth: at the Annunciation, the Nativity of her Divine Son, her Assumption into heaven, and finally her Coronation as Queen of Angels and Men.
Thus, on this day that we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother, we bow to our Queen and with all the angels, we proclaim: "Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen."
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