In the Temple, Simeon told Mary, “a sword will pierce through your own heart.” (Luke 2:35) In the statue of the Virgin and her Son, we see her hand at the spot where the soldier pierced Jesus’ side with a spear. We also see the Christ Child with his arms outstretched and his foot on top of the other as he was on the Cross. If we draw a line from the hand of Mary, through Jesus’ side, this leads directly to Mary’s heart. This is significant because Mary is showing us how she suffered at the Cross with her son. Appropriately, the Immaculate Heart of Mary appears in the window above the statue. We can consecrate our actions, thoughts, and words to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to obtain great graces for ourselves and for others, especially for the conversion of sinners and for the souls in purgatory. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that Jesus “desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering. Apart from the Cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.” (618) So should we imitate Mary’s faith and ask her to help us in our sufferings. Mary wears a crown and is called the Queen of Heaven , but not because she was powerful on earth. Mary is Queen of Heaven because she was humble and because she suffered with her Son, our Lord Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Sorrowful Mother, and Queen of Heaven, pray for us!