Today’s first reading told us about a very important possession and procession. After King David captured Jerusalem and made it the capital city, he decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant there in triumphal procession. He was so joyful during this celebration that he danced “with abandon” before the Ark! It must have been quite a sight……..
So, what was this precious Ark of the Covenant and why was it important? There’s so much more to it than what we learned about it from watching the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.
Fact #1: The Ark was the Israelites most sacred object. They considered it the place where God would dwell with the people, symbolizing God’s constant presence and blessing among them.
Fact #2: This Ark was the first sacred object built after the Israelites were freed from their slavery in Egypt. God Himself gave Moses exact instructions about its dimensions and materials. It looked like a box, made of acacia wood, known for its durability and resistance to decay, and covered with gold, with poles on the outside so it would never be touched directly. On the top lid were two cherubim with outstretched wings facing each other. It was portable and travelled with them.
Fact #3: The Ark contained 3 sacred objects:
- first, the tablets on which the 10 commandments were written to remind the people of God’s power and glory,
- second, a golden vase that held manna food which reminded them of God’s goodness in providing food for them in the desert,
- third, the rod of Aaron that had budded, a reminder of God choosing Aaron as the High Priest.
Overall, this Ark brought the people together in community to worship God, remind them of God’s presence among them, and fed them spiritually. Unfortunately, this Ark vanished around 586 BCE when the Babylonians destroyed Solomon's Temple.
This Ark, however, was only a foreshadowing of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, who would, and does, dwell among us and feed us with his own Body and Blood. This realization causes us to ask: Are we as in awe of Christ dwelling within and among us, as the Israelites were of the sacred Ark? Do we approach our worship with the same reverence and zeal as David did?
God dwells among us and in us always. Like King David, may we acclaim and proclaim with joyous enthusiasm the words of our responsorial psalm today:
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory
