a woman clothed with the sun
Who is the woman clothed with the sun we read about in the Book of Revelation, chapter 12, verse 1? Is she the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ? Is she Israel? Is she the Catholic Church? Is she all of the saints in Heaven?
Blessed Isaac of Stella insightfully associates Mary and the Chruch.
See also Catholic Answers and the connection St. Irenaeus makes between Eve and Mary.
From the Soliloquy of Saint Bonaventure the bishop (chapter 4, 2-3), we read that he associates this woman with the joys of Heaven:
When I ponder the glory that is to come I am all but overcome with wonderment because there will be joy within and without, above and below, indeed everywhere around. You will rejoice in everthing and because of everything. Your joy in my opinion was foreshadowed in the Apocalypse by the lady clothed with the sun having the moon beneath her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. This lady I regard as the blessed soul, the daughter, bride and queen of the eternal King. She is daughter by reason of creation, bride by reason of the adoption by grace, and queen because of the bestowal of glory. The description of this lady as clothed with the sun is quite apt because she is adorned with the brilliance of godlike splendor, she is crowned with the grandeur of eternal happiness. This happiness, by reason of its special charm, contains what the twelve stars prefigured, namely, twelve joys that adorn and embellish the happiness of heaven.
On these joys, my soul, you must devoutly reflect each day, seeking no consolation from your present distress and sojourn. Buoyed up by your hope for these joys you must endure calmly and joyfully every trial of this life. This is why Saint Jerome writes: "Hurry then, my soul, not by bodily movement but by love and desire, for it is not only the angels and blessed who await you, but their Lord and Master. God the Father awaits you as his dearly beloved daughter; God the Son awaits you as his most loving bride; God the Holy Spirit awaits you as the friend of his delight. God the Father awaits you to make you heir of all blessings; God the Son awaits you to present you to the Father as the fruit of his incarnation and the prize won by his precious blood; God the Holy Spirit awaits you to share with you his eternal love and happiness. All the spirits of heaven, the blessed family of the King, await you to welcome you to their company."
My soul, I truly believe that if you were to keep your thoughts constantly on the joys of heaven, you would transform this exile into a vestibule of the heavenly kingdom, in which you would enjoy a foretaste of eternal happiness each day as you wage your spiritual warfare.