Protestant Bible: 66(6) books=Mark of the Beast
CHADtholic Bible: 7 (Perfect number) 3 (Holy Trinity). Also 7+3=10 (Highest grade in School)
This is my scholastic refutation of the protestant canon
“Fervor and progress ought to be every day greater, but now it is esteemed a great matter if a man can retain some part of his first fervor.”
— Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
@LifeSite Please stop creating fake scandals.
Other nations choose their ambassadors to the Vatican. The Pope "welcoming" her is simply him acknowledging that the Belgian government appointed her, not any endorsement.
The Church just celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Of course, Protestants have once again come out of the woodwork to attack both the feast and the dogma behind it. One of their standard arguments is to appeal to Revelation 12 and claim that the woman described there is not Mary, but Israel or the Church.
That objection has already been addressed numerous times. Catholics have no problem recognizing Israel and the Church in the woman of Revelation 12. The problem is treating those interpretations as mutually exclusive. Catholic biblical interpretation has always allowed for multiple levels of fulfillment and typology. The woman can represent Israel, the Church, and Mary simultaneously.
There is an important connection between Revelation 12 and Genesis 3:15 that deserves attention.
In Genesis 3:15, we have three central figures: the woman, her seed, and the serpent. Eve is the woman. Her seed is ultimately fulfilled in Christ, who comes from the woman. The serpent is Satan.
Now look at Revelation 12. We again have a woman, her offspring, and a dragon who is explicitly identified with the ancient serpent, Satan. Revelation 12:9 identifies the dragon as “that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan.��
The typological correspondence is striking.
Genesis 3 gives us the woman, the seed, and the serpent. Revelation 12 gives us the woman, the offspring, and the dragon who is the serpent. Revelation therefore develops and expands the imagery introduced in Genesis.
This is precisely why Catholics have traditionally understood Mary within the imagery of Revelation 12. Mary is not the only referent of the woman. She is the personal and historical fulfillment of the woman within a broader biblical pattern that also encompasses Israel and the Church.
The same principle applies to the offspring. Revelation 12:17 says that the dragon goes to make war against “the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.” Those Christians are described as her offspring because the Church is Mary’s spiritual offspring, just as Christ is her biological Son.
The biblical pattern therefore has several interconnected levels. Eve is the original woman. Mary is the New Eve. Christ is the New Adam. The Church is the people brought forth through Christ. Israel is the covenant people from whom the Messiah comes.
This is also why the imagery surrounding the Ark immediately preceding Revelation 12 is significant. Revelation 11:19 says that the Ark of God’s covenant was seen in heaven, followed immediately by the vision of the woman in Revelation 12. The early Christians repeatedly associated Mary with the Ark of the New Covenant because she bore Christ within her. The old Ark contained the tablets of the covenant, manna, and Aaron’s rod. Mary bore within herself Christ, the fulfillment of the covenant, the true Bread from Heaven, and the eternal High Priest.
So when Catholics identify Mary in Revelation 12, we are not claiming that Israel and the Church are somehow excluded. We are recognizing the biblical typology as a whole.
The Protestant objection often assumes that the woman must represent exactly one thing. Catholic interpretation does not require that limitation. Scripture frequently uses persons and institutions typologically, with earlier realities finding their fuller meaning in later ones.
The woman of Revelation 12 can therefore be understood as Israel, the Church, and Mary. These interpretations reinforce one another within the biblical narrative.
And the connection to Genesis 3:15 is particularly important. The Bible begins with a woman, her offspring, and the serpent. Revelation brings that conflict to its eschatological fulfillment with a woman, her offspring, and the dragon who is the ancient serpent.
Christ is the New Adam. Mary is the New Eve.
This video has cleared every doubts I have had.
It has also reminded me of Jesus' promise to be with the church till the very end.
Every Catholic should see this video.
"In every age, it can seem like the church is on her last breath. Today is no different..think of Good Friday....when Christians were thrown to the lions, God raised up saints like St. Ignatius of Antioch.
Every age has its Good Friday. Every age has its moments when people say 'This is the time. The Church is finished."
—Fr. Mike Schmitz
>Jim Caviezel
>Gets cast as Jesus in Mel Gibson's the Passion of the Christ
>Warned by Mel Gibson that playing Jesus would ruin his career
>"My initials are J.C and im 33 we have to do it"
>Actually gets struck by lightning while filming the Sermon on the Mount
>Dislocates his shoulder carrying the cross and finishes the scene
>Hollywood sidelines him for years
>Doesn't compromise, remains a devout Catholic
>Comes back with Sound of Freedom and breaks the box office
>Inspires millions with his speeches
>Stands by the unborn and the vulnerable
Unfathomably based
@CharlesTingler@ComeHometoRome As Catholics, let’s not forget how the sins of the church leaders, the Avignon papacy, the western schism, simony, etc. spiritually weakened the visible body of Christ! Let’s pray for the retribution and penance of those sins, and for the unification with our Christian brethren