Iconic Monstrance, Our Lady of The Sign – Ark of Mercy at St. Stanislaus of Kostka Church, Chicago- See photo at:  https://artandliturgy.com/2016/06/27/spotlight-on-the-monstrance-of-our-lady-of-the-sign/

Blessed Virgin Mary: New Ark of the Covenant

In the Old Testament, the prophet Jeremiah hid the Old Ark of the Covenant in a cave. As 2 Maccabees says: Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance… ‘The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy’ (2 Macc. 2:5-7). The finding of the Old Ark of the Covenant is a most important foreshadowing below that will some day be fully revealed to the entire world.

How the Old Ark of the Covenant PREFIGURES the New Ark:

OLD COVENANT ARK- was a Gold Chest. In the Old Testament, the Lord said: “They shall make a sanctuary for Me that I may dwell in their midst…. Plate it inside and outside with pure gold.” (Ex 25:8)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK– God created a perfect vessel in Mary, preserving her from all sin, according to Sacred Tradition and Catholic teaching. She is the Immaculate Conception, the only mere human whom the Bible calls “full of grace.” (Lk. 1:28)

OLD COVENANT ARK- In the Old Testament, David rose and went up to the hill country of Judea. (1 Sam.22:5)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- After the Annunciation, Mary rose and went up to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth. (Lk.1:39-40)

OLD COVENANT ARK- David asked: “How shall the Ark of the Lord come to me?” (2 Sam.6:9)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- Elizabeth asked: “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk. 1:43)

OLD COVENANT ARK- In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant stayed in the house of Obed-edom for three months. (2 Sam. 6:11)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- In the New Testament, Mary stayed in the house of Elizabeth for three months. (Lk.1:56)

OLD COVENANT ARK- When the Ark was brought to the City of David, David responded by leaping and dancing before the Ark. (2 Sam. 6:14)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant in Elizabeth’s womb –St. John the Baptist– leaped for joy. (Lk. 1:41,44)

OLD COVENANT ARK- In the book of Exodus, the tabernacle that covered the Ark was over-shadowed by the glory cloud and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. (Ex. 40:34ff)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel informed Mary that, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will over-shadow you.” (Lk. 1:35) Mary’s soul was filled with the greatness of the Lord. (Lk. 1:46)

OLD COVENANT ARK- Inside the ark was the Law of God inscribed on stone. (Deut. 31:26)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- Inside the womb of Mary is the Word of God, (Jn. 1:1) enfleshed in Jesus. “The child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Lk. 1:35)

OLD COVENANT ARK- The Book of Hebrews says there was also an urn of manna in the Ark, which came down from heaven. (Heb. 9:4) And those who would eat it would still die. (Jn. 6:58)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- In Mary’s womb is the Bread of Life which came down from heaven, and if we eat it, we will never die. (Jn. 6:58)

OLD COVENANT ARK- The Ark also contained the rod of Aaron as proof of the Old Testament priesthood. (Heb. 9:4)
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- In Mary’s womb is Jesus Christ, the “high priest forever according to the order of Melchidesek.” (Heb. 6:20)

OLD COVENANT ARK- As 2 Maccabees says: Jeremiah came and found a cave, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense, and he sealed up the entrance.… ‘The place shall be unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy’ (2 Macc. 2:5-7).
MARY: NEW COVENANT ARK- Since the Old Ark prefigures the New Ark, many people expect that God will someday show the world the New Ark of the Covenant, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

There is a principle in the study of Scripture that the Old Testament foreshadowing must not be greater than the New Testament fulfillment. Finding or revealing the New Covenant Ark far surpasses the finding or revealing the Old Covenant Ark. As the 10 foreshadowings above demonstrate, the New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New. And as the final foreshadowing above shows, this could very well be a prophecy in 2 Maccabees 2, which will be fulfilled and the Virgin Mary will be revealed as the New Ark of the Covenant, the Immaculate Conception, after a special time of mercy.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: At the end of her life, Mary was taken into heaven, body and soul, as a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians (966).

_________________________________________________________
Prepared and published by CatholicsLoveJesus.com, P.O. Box 10097, Lansing, MI 48901
PLEASE LINK TO ANY DOCUMENTS ON THIS WEBSITE, OR PRINT THEM AS LONG AS THESE LINES AND CREDIT LINE ABOVE ARE INCLUDED.

© 2018 CatholicsLoveJesus.com • All Rights Reserved