Mother Mary

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against
the rest of her offspring- those who obey God's commandments and hold to the
testimony of Jesus. (Rev. 12:17)

I never before noticed this - even though I've read it probably dozens or
even scores of times. The woman is not identified except that she is the
mother of all Christians. I have long assumed that the woman who gave birth
to the child in John's revelation was Mary. I also assumed that the child
to whom the woman gave birth was Jesus. What I never thought about before
(good ol' Anabaptist that I am) was this verse. Mary is the mother of the
Church!

I am finding more and more in Catholic and Orthodox doctrine - stuff that I
had dismissed as "doctrines of men" - is far more biblical than much of what
I had been taught and assumed. Here, now, is apparent and clear biblical
teaching that Mary is the spiritual mother of all those follow Jesus. That
I should call her "Mother Mary" and "Blessed Mother" doesn't seem
ridiculous.