# Our Lady as Queen of Heaven
*2008-03-30*

> Bill Young leads a meditation on the fifth Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, the Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven, with a special focus on praying for the people of Asia.

## Prayers for Asia

Today we reflect on the fifth Glorious Mystery: the Crowning of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven. In alignment with this mystery, we offer our prayers for all of Asia. We pray for our friends there who love and follow Jesus, as well as those who may not have the opportunity to know His name or are forbidden from hearing it. We pray for everyone, including those who do not yet wish to know Him.

## A Vision of the New Jerusalem

Our meditation today comes from the Book of Revelation, chapter 21, verses 1 through 5: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Then I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'"

## Honoring the Queen of Heaven

Mary is the Queen of heaven and earth. Having been given Christ, she gave Him to the world. May she be blessed by God Almighty, for she is above all women on earth. We join our hearts in the Our Father and the Hail Mary, asking the Mother of God to pray for us sinners, both now and at the hour of our death.

## Intercession and the Litany

We continue our prayer with the Hail Holy Queen, remembering that we are exiled children of Eve mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. We turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, our advocate, to show us the blessed fruit of her womb, Jesus. Through the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we honor her as the Mother of Divine Grace, the Mirror of Perfection, the Gate of Heaven, and the Queen of Peace.

## Final Intentions

We conclude our time of prayer by lifting up specific intentions. We pray for the needs of the Church and our country, for the bishops and archbishops of all dioceses, and for the holy souls in Purgatory, that they may rest in peace. We remember once more those in Asia who may be confined and unable to pray aloud or attend church; though they are isolated, they remain with God through their prayers, thoughts, and feelings.

*Through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Heaven, we find hope in the promise of the new Jerusalem where all pain and death shall be no more.*