Our Blessed Lady is described in today’s scriptures as the Ark of the New Covenant. A metaphor is when two things are described that, on the outside are dissimilar, in order to illuminate a common interior reality. The Ark of the Covenant described in Exodus was an acacia wood box, covered in gilt that contained the Torah, Aaron’s staff and a golden bowl of manna. That Ark was lost by Israel by at least the time of the Babylonian Conquest. By legend, it is buried under Mount Nebo, the place where Moses is buried. The Ark of the New Covenant is our Blessed Lady. Where the old Ark contained the law, the staff of the priest and the manna, the Mary’s womb held the Word of God, the New Law, the only priest we need and the bread of life. An incorruptible box and an incorruptible woman are on the outside dissimilar; on the inside God’s Word, Priest and Heavenly Bread.
The Ark of the Covenant: King David dances for joy
Immediately after the people in the desert receive the law from Moses at Mt. Sinai, (Ex. 19-20) they were instructed to build a ‘tabernacle’, and inside they placed a piece of sacred furniture called the Ark of the Covenant. Ex. 25:8-9. The Ark was the place where the Israelites met God. Detailed instructions were given as to how to build the Ark. [i] Inside the Ark was the priest Aaron’s staff that had miraculously bloomed to remind the people of what God had done for them. Also, manna would be inside the Ark for the same reason. Finally, the Law would be kept in the Ark to remind people how they ought to live with God present among them. (Ex. 16:34; Num. 17:10). The Ark was to be constructed of ‘incorruptible’ acacia wood. (Ex. 25:5 Septuagint). The Ark was also to be covered in ‘incorruptible’ pure gold. When it was being carried, the Ark was to covered with a cloth of blue. Num. 4:5-6. When the Ark was completed and it was placed inside the Tabernacle, the cloud of God’s glory came down upon it. When it lifted the people would go forward. Ex. 40:21-38. When the people fought their enemies, while lead by the Ark, they were unbeatable. Josh. 6:1-21; Num. 14:44-45. That is until they were defeated and the Ark was captured by the Philistines. 1 Sam. 4. It was recaptured by the Israelites under King David and returned to Jerusalem. David lead the Ark through the streets of the capital dancing for joy. 2 Sam. 6.; Ps. 132.
And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. 2 Sam. 6:14-22
The Ark of the New Covenant: John the Baptist dances for joy
We are all familiar with the Joyous Mysteries of the Rosary including the Visitation. In that mystery, we recall is Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Both women were pregnant. In the gospel today, as Elizabeth first sees Mary she says,
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. Lk. 1:5056
John the Baptist, the child in Elizabeth’s womb, dances for joy as the salvation of Israel comes in the Ark of the New Covenant, Mary, the Mother of God.
Revelation: The Ark of the New Covenant and the Woman clothed in the Sun
The Ark made its reappearance in the last book of the bible, Revelation. There John of Patmos saw a vision of the Ark of the New Covenant and the deliverance of Israel,
God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. 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. 11:19: 12:1-6.
The woman, Mary, gave birth to a son, destined to rule all the earth with a rod of iron. He is a warrior that leads the heavenly armies, the hosts, into battle. He fights for all of us against the darkness of sin.
Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
The ancient Ark was made of incorruptible wood, covered in incorruptible gold carrying the Torah, the word of God. The Ark of the New Covenant was made of incorruptible flesh, immaculately conceived. and was carrying the incorruptible Word of God. The Old Testament prefigures the revelation of Jesus Christ the Son of God. The author of Revelation saw the Ark of the Covenant in heaven and, then, immediately, a woman clothed with the sun and with a crown of twelve stars, for the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles. She gave birth to a son who rules all the nations with an iron rod. It is a vision of Queen Mary [ii], the Ark, assumed into heaven and her warrior son, King Jesus.
[i] You shall make an ark of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. Plate it inside and outside with pure gold, and put a molding of gold around the top of it. Cast four gold rings and put them on the four supports of the ark, two rings on one side and two on the opposite side. Then make poles of acacia wood and plate them with gold. These poles you are to put through the rings on the sides of the ark, for carrying it; they must remain in the rings of the ark and never be withdrawn. In the ark you are to put the covenant which I will give you. You shall then make a cover of pure gold, two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide. Make two cherubim of beaten gold for the two ends of the cover; make one cherub at one end, and the other at the other end, of one piece with the cover, at each end. The cherubim shall have their wings spread out above, sheltering the cover with them; they shall face each other, with their faces looking toward the cover. This cover you shall then place on top of the ark. In the ark itself you are to put the covenant which I will give you. There I will meet you and there, from above the cover, between the two cherubim on the ark of the covenant, I will tell you all that I command you regarding the Israelites. Ex. 25:10-22
[ii] The feast of the Queenship of Mary is in one week, on August 22.