In St John Henry Newman’s ‘Meditations and Devotions’, there is a beautiful section on the titles of Mary. Here is part of his reflection on the title ‘Rosa Mystica’: ‘Mary is the most beautiful flower that ever was seen in the spiritual world. It is by the power of God’s grace that from this barren and desolate earth there have ever sprung up at all flowers of holiness and glory. And Mary is the Queen of them. She is the Queen of spiritual flowers; and therefore she is called the Rose, for the rose is fitly called of all flowers the most beautiful’.

May Mary, Queen and Mother, pray for us, and may God bless you this day.