FROM
THE SERVANT GENERAL
ON MARY
(Part 12)
THE WOMAN CLOTHED WITH THE SUN
August
15, 2011
Today’s reading: Revelation 11:19-12:10
“Who is this that comes forth like the dawn,
as beautiful as the moon, as resplendent as the sun,
as awe-inspiring as bannered troops?”
(Song of Songs 6:10)
The
awesome revelation of God continued. After the theophany,
“a great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with
the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown
of twelve stars.” (Rev 12:1).
What
an awesome sight! What was revealed was the queen of the heavens.
And
the queen of the heavens is Mary.
Mary is clothed with the sun. This speaks of radiance and
of brilliance. This speaks of purity and purifying power.
This speaks of a source of life and well-being.
Mary
has the moon under her feet. This speaks of dominion.
Mary
has on her head a crown of twelve stars. This speaks of royalty.
The twelve stars are also suggestive of the twelve tribes
of Israel, representing the old covenant of God with His people.
Now, with the new covenant, Mary is an intimate part of God’s
relationship with His people.
There was another time when the sun, moon and stars were prominent
in the life of a person that God was going to use mightily
to be a blessing to His people.
Joseph
had had a dream, and he told his brothers, “this time,
the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to
me.” (Gen 37:9). His father Jacob reproved him but could
sense the true meaning of his dream, saying, “Can it
be that I and your mother and your brothers are to come and
bow to the ground before you?” (Gen 37:10). “So
his brothers were wrought up against him but his father pondered
the matter.” (Gen 37:11).
Eventually
the brothers plotted to kill him, triggering a series of events
that allowed God’s will and plan to be accomplished.
Joseph rose as a mighty power in Egypt, second only to pharaoh,
placed in charge of the whole land (Gen 41:40-41). Jacob and
his clan eventually migrated to Egypt and because of Joseph,
thrived there.
Is this not the same with Mary? God had a prominent and indispensable
place for her in His plan. She recognized that God would do
great things for her and that all ages would call her blessed
(Lk 1:48b-49a). But just like the brothers of Joseph, some
Christians today not only do not venerate her, but even put
her down. Instead of recognizing her unique role in salvation
history, they denigrate her.
Our
posture must be that of Jacob. Though perplexed, he pondered
the matter.
Eventually,
the brothers of Joseph did bow down before him, as “they
flung themselves on the ground before him” (Gen 44:14),
triggering another series of events that led to their deliverance
from famine and poverty. But they had to endure much suffering,
due to their own sin, before they entered into the bounty
of Egypt.
Mary is our Queen Mother in heaven. Let us humbly bow down
before her, as the woman God Himself chose to use and to honor.
(Reprinted
from “Forty More Days with Mary,” Day 10)
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