In Revelation 12, there is a woman who is clothed with the sun with the moon under feet, adorned with a crown of 12 stars.
In this video by Dr. Brant Pitre, he discusses the meaning of Revelation 12 and the famous woman in Revelation 12, clothed with the sun and crowned with twelve stars.
For many centuries Catholics have recognized this woman to not only be an image of the Church but also an individual: Mary, the Queen of the Universe, the mother of Jesus
This can be concluded in many ways but Dr. Pitre explains that you can see this woman is referring to a particular woman by looking at the other individuals in the vision that St. John sees in Revelation 12: the child is an individual (Christ) and the dragon is an individual (satan). If the child is an individual and the dragon is an individual, what does that suggest to you about the woman? That she's an individual as well. And, this woman is the mother of the child who is described as the messiah, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it would follow that the woman of Revelation 12 is Mary, Jesus' mother.
Moreover, as mentioned above, this woman is wearing a crown. And, while that is not all too uncommon today to see a woman wearing a crown, in ancient Israel whenever a woman was wearing a crown and on a throne, she was a queen. And, not the wife of the king but the mother of the queen - the Queen Mother of the Old Testament.
And, lastly, Dr. Pitre affirms that the assertion that Catholics call Mary "Queen of the Universe" or "Queen of Heaven" does not mean that Catholics think she is divine (we do not offer sacrifice to her, for example, and the Church has condemned such practices in the early Church like with the Collyridians). Rather, Catholics only declare Mary as "Queen of the Universe" (aside from the fact that she has the moon underfoot whilst wearing a crown in Revelation 12) and "Queen of Heaven" (aside from the fact that she, as Revelation 12 says, is in heaven wearing a crown) insofar as her son is King of the Universe and King of Heaven. For, the Queen Mother is only so by her relation to the King. And, this is an essential element of the Catholic Church's teaching about Mary: namely, that what it teaches about Mary is only to further anchor and secure what it teaches about Jesus.
Dr. Pitre's talks always lead me deeper into the mystery of what God is doing and what He asks of me. This set on spiritual theology is a course that gives a map to orient one in growing in the devout life. Excellent.
I have been following the mass readings explained for several years now. Last year I started following the mass explained. Both usually at least one, and frequently several aha moments per episode. I learn something every time. They are well worth the money spent on them. I learned something new about my faith in every episode.
The connection between Hanukkah and Christmas, Dr. Pitre makes, is brilliant, reasonable, and plausible. From now on these two events will always be together in my mind.
Brant Pitre
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