November 28, 2024
In our Maronite Church this week, we celebrate the Visitation to Elizabeth, the third Sunday in the Season of the Glorious Birth of Our Lord. This is a season filled with themes of promises and prophecies fulfilled, of typological imagery of the Old Testament perfected in the New Testament.
The Old Testament reading (2 Samuel 6: 9-15, 17, 18b) recalls the account of David and the Ark of the Covenant. David, fearful of the Ark (for Uzzah had died for unworthily touching it), requested it remain in the hill country of Judea in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite, a Levite. Under his priestly ministry, he found favour with God and received blessings. Hearing this, David rejoiced, returning the Ark to Jerusalem with much joy, singing and dancing.
In the New Testament reading (Luke 1:39-45), Mary, receiving the news of her cousin Elizabeth bearing a child, heads out into the hill country of Judea to assist. Entering into the house of Zechariah, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth rejoices in Mary, for through Her, all that was spoken by the Lord is to be fulfilled.
How does this relate to David and the Ark of the Covenant?
After being built by Moses and Aaron according to the commands of the Lord, the Ark was placed in the tent of meeting, the tabernacle. The Shekinah or dwelling of the Lord overshadowed this new “house” of the Lord. The verb “overshadowed” was heard in last week’s Gospel—“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…” (Luke 1:35). Mary is the Ark of the New Covenant, the tabernacle in which the glory of God is present. As He dwelled in the Ark of the Old Covenant, so too does he overshadow and dwell in the Ark of the New Covenant.
In Hebrews 9:4, we read that three items were placed in the Ark of the Covenant; stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, a golden urn of manna (the heavenly bread that sustained the Israelites in their Exodus), and Aaron’s rod that budded. The parallels become obvious. In the Ark was the Word of God inscribed in stone, in Mary was the Word of God in flesh. In the Ark was the urn of manna, in Mary was the Bread of Life that gives eternal life. In the Ark was the budded rod of Aaron, the proof of true priesthood, in Mary’s womb was the true High Priest.
The parallels between the Old and New Testament readings do not end here. Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to the priestly house of Zechariah and Elizabeth, in a city of Judea, mirroring the journey of the Ark to the priestly house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.
When David saw the Ark, he was frightened and said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” Elizabeth uses almost the same words shouting in joy: “And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” The only difference is that the fear of the Lord shown by David, has become joy, the presence of the Lord isn’t to be feared anymore, it is the source of all rejoicing.
When David finally approached the Ark he sang, danced and leapt, wearing a linen ephod, the clothing of a priest. When Mary, the Ark of the New Covenant, approached Elizabeth, John the Baptist leapt in his mother’s womb, as John was from the priestly line of Aaron. Both leapt and danced in the presence of the Ark.
The Ark of the Old Covenant remained in the house of Obed-Edom for three months, and Mary remained in the house of Elizabeth for three months. The place that housed the Ark was blessed as we read in Samuel, and likewise, Elizabeth exclaims the great blessing she has received thrice, three being a sign of perfection and completion. The images and promises of the Old Testament have finally been completed and perfected by the Lord, who is forever worthy of all praise and glory.
As we continue our journey in this Season of the Glorious Birth of Our Lord, let us enter into the contemplative silence of Zechariah, awaiting the fulfilment of the promises, pondering the Word of the Lord, like Mary, hastily making him known to others so that we may bring joy and rejoicing, like Elizabeth, where fear and shame once reigned.
Fr Abboud is a monk of the Lebanese Maronite Order who serves at St Charbel’s Monastery, Parish and College in Punchbowl, NSW.
Photo Credit: Icon of the Visitation. Photo: Supplied.
