Pope highlights Mary's role as 'woman of the apocalypse'

Catholic News Agency ^ | 12/28/11 | Benjamin Mann

[RnMomof7]

Rome, Italy, Dec 8, 2011 / 04:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI reflected on the biblical description of a “woman clothed with the sun” in his remarks at Rome's Spanish Steps on the 2011 Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

“What is the meaning of this image? It represents the Church and Our Lady at the same time,” the Pope told the crowd assembled before the nearby statue commemorating the 1854 definition of Mary's Immaculate Conception. “Before all, the 'woman' of the apocalypse is Mary herself.”

The 12th chapter of the Biblical Apocalypse – also known as the Book of Revelation – describes the glorification and persecution of “a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Though not named, this woman is described as the mother of the Messiah. In poetic language akin to the Bible's other prophetic books, Saint John says she faced the threat of “a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,” and “fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God.”

Pope Benedict, offering white roses in his traditional yearly act of Marian veneration, gave listeners his insight into the connection between the Virgin Mary and the Church – portrayed in the Apocalypse through the single image of the sun-clad woman.

“She appears 'clothed in sunlight,' that is, clothed in God,” observed the Pope. “The Virgin Mary is in fact completely surrounded by the light of God and lives in God … The 'Immaculate One' reflects with all of her person the light of the 'sun' which is God.”

“Besides representing Our Lady, this sign personifies the Church, the Christian community of all times,” he continued.

The Church, he explained, is “pregnant, in the sense that she carries Christ” and “must give birth to him to the world.”

“This is the labor of the pilgrim Church on earth, that in the midst of the consolations of God and the persecutions of the world, she must bring Christ to men.”

Because the Church continues to bring Jesus into the world, Pope Benedict said, it “finds opposition in a ferocious adversary,” symbolized in scripture by the “dragon” that has “tried in vain to devour Jesus,” and now “directs his attacks against the woman – the Church – in the desert of the world.”

“But in every age the Church is supported by the light and the strength of God,” the Pope said. “She is nurtured in the desert with the bread of his word and the Holy Eucharist.”

“And in this way, in every tribulation, through all of the trials that she finds in the course of the ages and in the different parts of the world, the Church suffers persecution, but comes out the victor.”

Pope Benedict said the Church should not fear persecution, which is bound to arise, but will be defeated.

“The only pitfall of which the Church can and must be afraid is the sin of her members,” he warned, highlighting the key difference between the Church and the woman who is its prototype.

“While in fact Mary is immaculate – free from every stain of sin – the Church is holy, but at the same time marked by our sins.”

While sinless herself, Mary remains in solidarity with the Church struggling against sin.

“That is why the people of God, pilgrims in time, turn to their heavenly mother and ask for her help,” explained Pope Benedict.

He stressed the world's need for the hope brought by the “woman clothed with the sun” – “especially in this difficult moment for Italy, for Europe and for different parts of the world.”

“May Mary help us to see that there is a light beyond the veil of fog that appears to envelop reality,” he declared.

“For this also we, especially on this day, never cease to ask with filial trust for her help: 'O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you.'”

[johngrace]

[MarkBsnr]

Seek YHvH in His WORD not in man's tradition.

Not Jewish and not Christian, eh? I think that I'll pay a little more attention to those who are. The WORD is Jesus Christ. I do seek Him. I do not pay attention to charlatans.

[MarkBsnr]

Nice!!!

And if you get your booze delivered to the fridge beside your throne, then you don’t ever have to leave the LaZBoy.

I guess that I’m not up on the Sunday Sports theology as much as some that post here in a reckless and inane fashion.

[johngrace]

[marbren]

The rapture might be today! :)

[MarkBsnr]

The rapture might be today! :)

And the Colts (minus Peyton Manning) might win the Super Bowl. :)

[MarkBsnr]

I have more hair, and I prefer Labatt’s Maximum Ice.

[marbren]

Sorry the Patriots will win...God willing.

[caww]

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Marian worship is insidious in so many ways. I think one of the saddest things to see is people who seem to want to know the Lord running to idols that they bow down and pray to. This interpretation of Rev. 12 is just another example of how goddess worship twists the mind.

Goddess worship of Mary is directly attributed to the Pagan Goddess Isis of long ago when the church opted to create their own Goddess (Mary) in which to entice the pagan worshipers into the church. By creating the Mary Idol it appeased the pagans desire for a female Goddess in which they could worship.

Even today where many pagan rites, rituals and idols continue to be incorporated within the catholic church this isn't much discouraged by the catholic leadership...Haiti comes to mind where Voodoo practices, idols and rites are done along side of relics , rituals and practices within their catholic churches. In fact in some areas an individual wanting to become a Voodoo Priest candidate must first become a catholic to qualify for Voodoo Priesthood.....which shows how twisted idol worship can become.

[marbren]

Idol worship is insidious. Anything we put our faith in other that Our Lord Jesus Christ will fail.

Maybe we should list possible idols. Our common sense, money, the bible, religion, pastors, baptism, church buildings, Martin Luther, denominations, Mary (of course), The American Dream, the GOP, The Federal Reserve, Mitt, Newt, Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Obama, the pope, rugged individualism, Rush Limbaugh, Obama (Not on FR of course), George Bush Sr and Jr, Dick Cheney, gold, the US Constitution,....Tiger Woods, most of these are from my past BTW.

[marbren]

Two new idols of the new age crowd are free money and free energy

[marbren]

Interesting, I said Obama twice? Maybe he is a model of the coming antichrist or?

I do not know but, Thank God, God knows

[caww]

I don’t think most make idols of these you mentioned unless they have no faith. Then of course they will obsess over whatever the desire of their hearts and minds are otherwise....or something which represents that.

We are created to worship....and will do so toward whatever we create in our minds...until we have the mind of Christ and worship only Him.

There are many things we “support” which is not necessarily become an idol....and we should support that which matters as much as possible.

[marbren]

I agree, But the last few weeks I sense the Lord telling us who are watching to leave it all behind us. The rapture is very very soon. I, of course, will vote if the rapture does not happen by then. I will not join the tea party or occupy movements. They are two sides of the same world coin. They are both based in fear.

[Lera]

marbren :The rapture might be today! :)

MarkBsnr :And the Colts (minus Peyton Manning) might win the Super Bowl. :)


Don't worry you won't hear his call to come up hither , it won't interrupt your worldly pleasures in the least .


2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,
2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.


1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,


Hey MarkBsnr here is a word for you - ketubah look it up
In the old custom
The father hand picked the bride for the groom , they signed a covenant
they both drank from a cup of wine sealing it
the groom went back to his fathers house to prepare a place for his bride (he would build an addition on his fathers house for her)
The bride was instructed to be prepared for his return at all times for she did not know when it would be
When the father decided all was ready he tell the son to go get his bride
He would then take her to his fathers house to consemate the marriage
The wedding feast lasted 7 days

It would suck not to be ready and not have oil in your lamp
See ya , wouldn't want to be ya

[marbren]

The pretrib rapture does pass the grace/works test as well as the pride/humble test.

[marbren]

Two weeks ago I was on Jury duty. Last summer I made trip reservations to Aruba for the first week in November for my wife and I. No way did I think the rapture would not happen before the trip. ...It was a great vacation BTW. :)

[Lera]

The pretrib rapture does pass the grace/works test as well as the pride/humble test.
It fits the parable of the 10 virgins in Mathew

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.


onlt 5 virgins were ready ... 5 is the number of grace it is what Abraham and Sarah found after God changed their name 5 means grace

[marbren]

agreed! Also which interpretation lives every day like Jesus Christ will call us up today!

[marbren]

How about suffering for Christ works problems. We need to earn our salvation thru suffering. Posttribs, preterists, and catholics fall into that trap.