Ark of Covenant, pray for us!
The Ark of Covenant was the most holy treasure of Israelites and was built to keep Commandment tablets given by God to Moses on Mount Sion. In the Ark was also kept precious vessel with the manna, God fed Israelites during forty years of their wandering through wilderness (Exodus 25). In the New Covenant, Our Immaculate Lady is the most sweet symbol of long lost original Ark of Covenant. In her soul, like in the Ark, she kept Christ, who is the real manna and our shepherd and lawgiver. She kept and guarded this treasure with most pious fear and zeal. Fear of God, unfortunately is commonly misunderstood for a servile kind of fear. However, in the Holy Scripture, fear of God means pious, elevated respect and veneration for omnipotent and most Holy God. He require from the faithful who venerate Him to prove this affection through living pious life - the most pleasing offering. Life of Our Lady was filled with such loving fear and zeal for God and she always look at herself as His maiden, exactly as she described herself in Magnificat. She wanted to always please the Lord, to conform her will to His will and Word. She was obedient to God and to the law, conforming her will to His Will, often indirectly through obedience to authority of Synagoge or Romans. When we are tempted against obedience to authority, we should remember Our Lady. Our Lord said: "He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me." (Luke 10:16). The Apostle said about authority: "Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God."(Romans 13:1-2). Therefore, practical fear of God, as we can see in Our Lady's life, is very meritorious and pleasing to God: "Be subject therefore to God," (Jam 4:7).
Beautiful image of Our Lady is by Sandro Boticelli
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