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Have you crowned your Mother today?
Not the mother who gave birth or raised you, but the Mother our Lord gave to you.
Mary.
Crowning Mary during the month of May dates back to the eighth century when Pope Gregory III donated a golden diadem to crown a holy image located at St. Peter’s. That’s the first crowning of Mary on record, but the custom didn’t become widely spread until the fourteenth century. Today, it’s common for dioceses, parishes and pilgrimage sites to conduct May crowning celebrations including holy Mass, a procession, Rosary, and special Marian devotions and music.
Perhaps your parish already has crowned Mary this month. Maybe the crowning is still on the calendar.
But, what about you?
Have you crowned Mary this month? Have you crowned her this day?
Group crownings can be beautiful, meaningful, and inspiring. Certainly, they bring Mary great joy and her Son as well. For who loves his Mother more than Jesus? If he is the King, she, as mother of the King, is Queen. As such, she deserves a crown.
On the other hand, a private crowning can be even more meaningful in the sense that it’s a personal moment between you and your Mother, Mary.
Beautiful, meaningful, and inspiring? You bet!
This doesn’t have to involve a material crown at all, although you may want to give our Lady an actual crown. Some people give her a crown of flowers. Others might “crown” her with a Rosary. It can even be that you offer her a real crown of metal or plaster. Many Marian gift shops carry those, and they’re magnificent.
Whatever your personal crown is made of – or not made of – is only for you to know. In this case, it’s the act of crowning that’s essential, not the instrument.
When you give Mary a personal crown, you’re making a monumental declaration. You are proclaiming her Queen – your Queen. And when you crown her, you may ask her for the special graces that she has to give you as your Queen. She’ll give them to you. That and more.
An earthly queen oversees her kingdom, provides for it, and protects it, along side of the king. So too with Mary.
She takes her role seriously, working tirelessly beside her Son for the sake of our salvation. All that she does, she does according to God’s will, and for our benefit.
Just imagine, then, what would happen if you crowned Mary Queen of your heart!
Doing so makes your heart her kingdom, and as Queen she will valiantly protect it, generously provide for it, wisely govern it, and enthusiastically urge it toward the King.
To crown Mary Queen of your heart requires nothing more than your genuine desire. Although you could make up a special prayer or perform some special devotions, a mere request is all she needs to occupy the throne of your heart.
Find a quiet moment in your prayer corner, Marian shrine, parish church, or even out in nature and… just crown her. It could sound something like this:
Mother Mary, I crown you Queen of my Heart. Please grant my request and make my heart your throne. Guide me, protect me, provide for me, govern me in accordance with the will of the Father, and lead me ever closer to your Son. Reign over my heart now and forever. Amen.
See? Wasn’t that easy?
You may take such a liking to this little devotion that you make it part of your daily routine. Trust me, it will be well worth it. The more often you crown her, the deeper your love for her will grow and the more closely united you’ll be with our Lord.
So, let me ask you.
Have you crowned your Mother today?
