Mary, Our Queen and Our Mother

By St Alphonsus Maria Liguori   |   28 May 2025

From The Glories of Mary for the feast of the Queenship of Mary (31 May 2025)

Having great confidence in Mary

Because Mary is the mother of the King of Kings, the Church honours her with the title, Queen. 

“If the son is a king, his mother must be a queen.” (St Athanasius)

“As soon as she consented to be the mother of the Eternal Word, then she merited to be the Queen of all creatures.” (St Bernardine)

“All the creatures who serve God, also serve Mary.” (St Bernadine)

“Continue, Mary, to disperse the riches of your Son for to you belongs dominion over all creatures.” (Abbot Guerricus)

The Queen of Mercy

Because Mary is ready to help us in our weakness, the Church calls her, “Mother of Mercy”. She pours out mercy because “‘Queen’ signifies compassion towards the needy” (St Albert the Great). Kings must do works of mercy, but they must also punish the guilty. Mary is not a Queen of Justice, who punishes the guilty. She is a Queen of Mercy, intent on pardoning sinners. 

“The Kingdom of God was divided into justice and mercy. The Lord reserved justice for himself and yielded the mercy to Mary. He ordered that all mercy would pass through her hands”. (John Gersen)

St. Thomas confirms this: “When the Blessed Virgin brought forth the Eternal Word, she obtained half of the Kingdom of God. She is Queen of Mercy. Jesus is King of Justice. The Father made Jesus the universal Judge of the world.

“Give Justice to the King’s Son.” (Ps 122:2)

“Give your judgment to the King, Oh God, and mercy to His mother, the Queen.” We sinners must rejoice because our Queen overflows with mercy. O Mary, you are full of mercy and compassion. God has anointed you with the oil of gladness.” (St Bonaventure)

Queen Esther

Queen Esther is a biblical model of Queen Mary. In the Book of Esther, the Jewish people were condemned by the king’s decree and Esther was asked to seek the decree’s revocation. At first, she declined because she feared the King’s anger. Mordicai reproved her, saying that God had made her queen to obtain this salvation. “Do not think that you will save your life just because you are in the King’s house.” We sinners can use the same words, “Mary, God has not made you Queen of the world to provide only for your good. He made you so great, so you can better assist us.”

When the King saw Queen Esther approach him, he asked with love, “What is your request?” She said, “Lord, if I find favor in your sight, save my people.” He revoked his decree of death. Now, if Esther can save the Jewish people, how can God refuse the prayers of Mary? She says to God, “If I find favour (already knowing that she was full of grace), give me my people, for whom I ask.” Can God refuse her? Who is ignorant of the power of Mary’s prayers? “The law of mercy is on her tongue.” (Pr 31:26) 

God shows mercy to whomever she intercedes for. St. Bernard says she is “Queen of Mercy” because “she opens the depths of God’s mercy to whomever she wills, when she wills, and as she wills. No sinner, however great, is lost if Mary protects him.”

The Gentleness of a Queen

Would Mary refuse to protect someone just because they have many sins? Should we be overawed by the Queen’s holiness? “The higher she is, the greater is her mercy to sinners who desire to amend their lives.” (St Gregory VII)

Kings and queens often inspire terror. However, the Queen of Mercy “shows no severity. She is all gentleness. In her, there is no austerity. She offers wool and milk to all.” (St Bernard)

The milk is mercy and the wool is protection against the thunderbolts of God’s justice. 

“God has given a compassionate heart to Mary so that she can send no one away dissatisfied.” (Lanspergius)

“O Mary, can you refuse to help any who are the subjects of your mercy? Since you are the Queen of Mercy, I am the first of your subjects.” (St Bonaventure)

Our sins cannot outweigh Mary’s power and compassion. “Nothing resists your power. The Creator answers your petitions as if he were paying a debt.” Mary has an infinite obligation to the Father for choosing her to be the mother of His Son. However, her Son is under greater obligation to her for giving Him His humanity. Jesus pays what He owes to Mary by granting all her petitions.

No One Is Deprived

How great our confidence in her! We know her power with God to gain us mercy. Our Lady said to St Bridget, “I am the Queen of heaven and the Mother of Mercy. I am the door that leads sinners to God. No sinner is deprived of my mercy. No one (except those already in hell) is so cast off by God that he will not return if he invokes my aid. I am the Mother of Mercy. A soul who could have invoked me and did not, will be miserable for all eternity.”

Let us go to Mary to be certain of our salvation. Let us remember that Mary is the Queen of Mercy. She helps even the most abandoned sinners who invoke her. In heaven, these sinners are her crown. 

“You shall be delivered from the dens of lions.” (Ct 4:8) These dens are the hearts of sinners, the home of frightful sins.

“O Mary, the salvation of sinners will form a crown worthy of the Queen of Mercy.” (Abbot Rupert)

An Example

Sister Catherine of St Augustine told me this story. Margaret began to sin as a young woman and continued all her life. She was driven out of the city and died in a secluded cave without the sacraments. Sister Catherine (who prayed for the dead) thought she was damned and did not even intercede. Four years later, the suffering woman appeared to her and took her to task for not praying for her. “I am poor Margaret who died in the cave. At the hour of my death, I invoked the Mother of God saying, “Lady, you are the refuge of abandoned creatures. Now I am abandoned by all and you are my only hope. Have pity on me.” The Virgin gained for me the grace of an act of contrition. I died and am saved. She also shortened my purgatory. I seek now only to have a few Masses said.” Catherine had the Masses said and in a few days the soul appeared shining like the sun, “Thank you. I go to heaven to praise God and pray for you.”

Prayer

My Lady of Mercy, I present myself as a wounded beggar before a great queen. Cast your eyes upon me. Do not abandon me until you have changed me from a sinner into a saint. I know you are already my Queen but I dedicate myself even more to your service using St Bonaventure’s words. “Govern me, Oh Queen, and do not allow me to govern myself.Command me. Use me. Punish me when I do not obey. Take charge of my salvation. From this day forward, no one will love and honour you more. This I promise. Amen.”