In the Hebrew Bible, Gebirah is a title ascribed to queen mothers of Israel and Judah. One of the few women who holds this title is Bathsheba, the mother of King Solomon. After Solomon sat down upon his throne, his mother Bathsheba also sat on a throne on his right. Bathsheba then said to her son, "There is one small favor I would like to ask of you. Do not refuse me." Solomon then said to his mother, Bathsheba, "Make your request, Mother, for I will not refuse you" (1 Kings 2:20). Indeed, Bathsheba played a crucial role in helping her son become King. She pleaded with King David to appoint their son Solomon as David's successor. Her plea eventually led David to publicly declare Solomon as his heir and ensure his ascension to the throne. The bottom line is that the position of the queen mother was a privilege of the highest honor. It was the highest authority for a woman in Israel or Judah.
Mary is the Queen Mother because her son, Jesus, is Christ the King. Mary is the Queen because the power of her son magnifies her power. Jesus Christ is the King of the Universe. Jesus is the King who has complete and absolute power over the Universe. He controls every movement of the Universe, including our own lives. He holds the Universe in being at every moment; every atom, every human heart, every moment, He is intimately united to and keeping everything in existence. Mary is therefore Queen of the Universe, and she has power over the kind of particles and movement in the Universe. Mary is indeed the Queen of Heaven and Earth. But this is only one aspect of her queenship. There is another aspect of her queenship. Mary is the Queen of Heaven through her self-giving. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum! (Let it be done to me according to your word). Mary gives herself to God. By saying Yes to God’s plan for salvation, she gives without receiving payback or reward. She gives herself to God and never needs to receive anything in return. The bottom line is that the Queenship of Mary is exercised through giving herself to God and all of us as her children.