Memorial
of Saint Maximillian Kobe, priest and martyr
(Joshua 3:7-10a.11.13-17;
Matthew 18:21-19:1)
The Ark of
the Covenant makes its biblical debut in today’s reading from the Book of
Joshua. The Ark was prescribed in the
Book of Exodus as a wooden chest with gold overlay and a lid called a “Mercy
Seat.” It was constructed to house the tablets
of the Ten Commandments, the basic law of the Mosaic Covenant. The Ark represented the Lord who wished to
stay close to the people.
In the
passage from Joshua the Ark is described with miraculous power. Carried into the Jordan River, it holds back its
waters so that the Israelis might occupy the land God promised to their
forefathers. The Ark was eventually placed
in the Solomon’s Temple and remained there for 400 years. It was taken out of
the temple for processions and to assist the Israelites in battle. Nothing is known of the Ark after the
Babylonians destroyed the Temple in the sixth century B.C.
The Ark of
the Covenant has parallels with the tabernacle housing the Blessed Sacrament. Yet its similarities should not be
exaggerated. The Ten Commandments
reminded the Israelites of the covenant they made with the Lord. The Eucharist is Christ’s physical presence,
not a symbol indicating His presence. The
Eucharist is a spiritual creation meant to strengthen human souls. The tablets of the Commandments have great symbolic
value, but they are part of an order that will pass away. The Eucharist is Christ’s abiding presence
which will remain into eternity.
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