Who Rules?

We live in a world of many different forms of government.  Democracies, republics, theocracies, dictatorships, constitutional monarchies, totalitarian regimes, and many combinations thereof. There are diverse governing bodies in the nations of the world such as parliaments, congresses, senates and houses of deputies. We find conservative parties and liberal parties.  There are socialists and democrats.
           
The only truly important question in the midst of all of this is, “Who rules?”  Not just in the political sense but, most importantly, in the cosmic sense.  We, as people of faith, know the answer to that pivotal question.  It is Jesus Christ, the “King of kings and the Lord of lords.”  We read in the First Letter of St. Paul to Timothy, “I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”  (1 Tim 6:15)   We can say that it matters not who holds what office or rules what nation, Jesus Christ rules and He is King of the Universe. 
           
The Church believes that God has revealed that there is one who sits at the King’s right hand in his Kingdom.  That is His Immaculate Mother who is our Mother and Queen.  We celebrate the Feast of her Queenship on August 22. The responsorial psalm for the Solemnity of the Assumption affirms this great truth. “The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir.’ (Ps 45:9)  The Lord came born of the Virgin Mary to share His life with us all.  He so desires to bring each and every one of us into His Kingdom of light and eternal happiness.  Why would it be so difficult for us to believe that He has given His Mother, whom He created free from all sin, a special place in His plan of salvation for us, a seat at his right hand.  From there she watches over us and guides ever closer to Him.
           
Yes.  It is true that Christ alone rules by power, by might, by saving command, and by love. In His plan for our good, His Mother also rules.  She shares in His wisdom and perfectly fulfills His will.  She rules by the power of her intercession with her Son.  She rules with the awesome power of a Mother’s love.  Her place at her Son’s right side places her at the very font of love and mercy.  Her rule serves not herself but only to bring us to Jesus. 
           
Pope St. John Paul II taught about Mary as Queen in a homily given on the Feast of the Assumption in 1997.  He preached, “From her birth to her glorious Assumption, her life unfolded on a journey of faith, hope and charity.  These virtues which blossomed in a humble heart abandoned to God’s Will, are those adorning her precious, incorrupted crown of Queen.  These are virtues which the Lord asks of all believers, if they are to share in His Mother’s glory.”
           
Yes.  The Queen has taken her place at the right hand of the King of kings and Lord of lords.  This Queen clothed beautifully in the gold of Ophir is completely full of grace and adorned with every virtue especially with an abundance of love for us, her children.  She is our gracious Queen and loving Mother. 
           
We see that no matter who rules in any nation on earth, no matter difficulties may assail us, we have nothing to fear.  The Kingdom of Christ’s eternal love  awaits us after our earthly sojourn.  There a gracious Queen and Mother will bid us welcome and, with a warm embrace, will say to us, “I have been praying for your safe arrival!”

Most Reverend William J. Waltersheid
Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh