Let’s talk about the Ark of the Covenant. I do not mean Noah’s Ark (which was a big boat). I mean a special golden treasure chest that Moses was commanded by the Lord to build (cf Exod 25:10-22). You may have heard of it from an Indiana Jones movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Yes, that’s the Ark I’m talking about.

The Ark of the Covenant was one of the most sacred physical items in all the Old Testament. It was physical sign of the Sacred Presence of God and was kept in the Holy of Holies, the most sacred room in the heart of the Temple.

When the Ark was completed, the glory cloud of the Lord (the Shekinah Glory) covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exod 40:34-35; Nm 9:18, 22). The verb for “to cover” or “to overshadow” and the metaphor of a cloud are used in the Bible to represent the presence and glory of God.

Part of what made the Ark of the Covenant so important was because of what it carried. In it were placed three physical signs of God’s covenant with his people Israel: Moses’ stone tablets of the Covenant (“The Word”), the manna (“Bread from heaven”), and the staff of Moses’ brother Aaron that sprouted with lilies as a sign of affirming his priesthood (The High Priest). See Heb 9:4.

But if Jesus Christ came to establish a New Covenant, is there an Ark of the New Covenant?

From ancient times, Christians have seen a connection between the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the Ark of the Covenant.

Just as the Ark was covered by the glory cloud of the Lord, so Mary was “overshadowed” by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

Just as the original Ark carried the items of Word, Bread, and the High Priesthood, so Mary carried Christ Himself who is the “Word made Flesh” (John 1), the “Bread from heaven” (John 6), and our High Priest (Letter to the Hebrews).

And just as the Ark was consecrated for this Sacred Purpose, so too was Mary specially chosen and blessed by God. Mary is called by the angel Gabriel, “Favored one” or “Full of Grace” (Luke 1:28), who had “found favor with God” (Luke 1:30). She is also called “Blessed among women” (Luke 1:42), and is one whom “all generations will call blessed” (Luke 1:48).

I share all this, because last week we celebrated the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, on Aug. 15 that is, we celebrated her passing over into heaven. Mary’s passing over into heaven at the end of her life, is like the Ark of the New Covenant being carried up into the Heavenly Jerusalem, just as the David, with much rejoicing, carried the ark into the earthly Jerusalem (see 1 Chron 15).

And then on Aug. 22, a week after, we celebrate the Coronation of Mary.

Peace

– Fr. Kevin