Why Our Lady Loves Processions
Early
traditional stories about the Blessed Virgin Mary tell us that Our Lady
was presented in the Temple at the age of three, where she served for
about twelve years before returning to her parents. There she lived in
the special lodgings for those dedicated to the divine service, those
who attended the priests and levites in their sacred ministry (3Kgs
6:5-9).
Being of deep wisdom and highest intelligence, she learned
quickly, taking part in the Temple worship according to her age and
station. No doubt she listened carefully to the biblical stories told by
the Temple teachers. She must have taken particular delight in the
stories of the Ark of the Covenant, observing that it was made of
incorruptible wood overlaid with gold, and that the tablets of the Law
that God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai were kept inside the Ark, as well
as a golden vessel containing some of the manna they had eaten in the
desert. Perhaps we may dare to interpret her thoughts.
Mary’s
heart was filled with both joy and holy fear as she thought of the
Spirit of God overshadowing the Ark as it was brought to the place
prepared for it in the tent of meeting in the desert. She thought of the
Ark going before the people into battle, and of the parting of the
waters of the Jordan when the Ark was carried before the people as they
passed over into the Promised Land (Jos 3:14-17). She was filled with
awe as she thought of the Ark being carried around the city of Jericho
in procession for seven days, and of the walls tumbling down at the
sound of the trumpets and the shouts of the people (Jos 6:6-21).
Mary
was especially fond of the story about the journey of the Ark to the
tent King David had prepared for it in Jerusalem. The Ark had fallen
into the hands of the Philistines, who had a series of misfortunes until
they realized that the Ark must return to its rightful guardians. Mary
followed the Ark in her imagination as it began its journey through the
Judean hill country. How tragic that someone, Oza by name, had touched
the Ark to steady it, paying with his life for this forbidden
sacrilegious act. King David, troubled at the incident, questioned, “How
shall the ark of the Lord come to me?” And so the Ark stopped at the
house of Obededom the Gethite, where it remained for three months,
during which Obededom and his whole household were blessed. David then
allowed the Ark to continue its journey on its way to Jerusalem (2Kgs
6).
Mary
imagined herself among the crowds as the Ark reached the holy city
accompanied by a procession of priests and levites, musicians and
singers, followed by waves of excited people, while David the King,
filled with spiritual joy, danced before the Ark of the Lord with all
his might. “And David and all the house of Israel brought the ark of the
covenant of the Lord with joyful shouting, and with sound of trumpet”
(2Kgs 6:14,15). Mary loved processions.
But
there was always a part of the story of the Ark that saddened Mary. The
Ark was the most treasured possession of the Israelites, and was kept
in the sanctuary of King Solomon’s Temple. At the fall of Jerusalem, in
587 B.C., the Ark disappeared from history, hidden in a cave by the
Prophet Jeremiah, who declared: “The place shall be unknown till God
gather together the congregation of the people and receive them to
mercy” (2Macc.2:7). Surely the Ark would return, thought Mary, before
the birth of the Messiah in the time of mercy.
Mary
returned to the home of her parents, Joachim and Anne, and was
eventually betrothed to the just and holy man, Joseph, of the house of
David. One day while she was deep in prayer, the Angel Gabriel appeared
to her and greeted her, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women.” He told her that she was to become the
Mother of God’s only-begotten Son, Who was to be the long expected
Messiah and Savior of His people. “How shall this be,” said Mary,
“because I do not know man?” She thought of the Ark, which no man was to
touch. “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you and the power of the Most
High shall overshadow you,” replied the Angel. And Mary said, “Let it be
done to me according to your word” (Lk.1:26-38).
As
the Angel disappeared, his mission completed, Mary had only one thought
– she would go immediately to visit her beloved cousin Elizabeth, who
was herself with child. Mary rose up and set out on her journey through
the Judean hill country. Why did she feel that she had traveled this way
before? She took no notice of the procession of adoring
angels that accompanied her to protect her and the precious burden she
now carried. As she approached her cousin’s house, Elizabeth rushed out
to meet her. Mary found the words of Elizabeth strangely familiar – “And
how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
(Lk.1:43). Elizabeth told Mary that the child in her womb leaped for joy
at the sound of her greeting – John the Baptist in his mother’s womb,
like a tiny David, dancing before the Ark of the New Covenant. Mary
stayed with Elizabeth and Zachary for three months. And they and their
whole household were blessed (Lk.1:39-56).
St.
Luke in his Gospel was the first to portray Mary as the Ark of the New
Covenant. St. John made the same connection in his Apocalypse, picturing
the Ark in Heaven: “And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and
there was seen the ark of his covenant in his temple… And a great sign
appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under
her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars” (Apoc.11:19-12:1).
Our
Risen Lord was not content to leave His Holy Mother behind in this
corrupt world after His Ascension. Pope Pius XII in speaking of the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary says that “some have employed the
words of the psalmist: ‘Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and
the ark, which you have sanctified’; and have looked upon the Ark of the
Covenant, built of incorruptible wood and placed in the Lord's temple,
as a type of the most pure body of the Virgin Mary, preserved and exempt
from all the corruption of the tomb and raised up to such glory in
heaven” (Munificentissimus Deus, Nov. 1, 1950, #26).
In
these dark days, Our Lady, Ark of the New Covenant, goes before us into
battle against our enemy, the devil, just as the ancient Ark went
before the Israelites. “Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,
‘Arise, O Lord, that your enemies may be scattered, and those who hate
you may flee before you’” (Num.10:35).
And
our Heavenly Mother still loves processions. She is filled with joy
when she sees her children following her statue, praying and singing
hymns, their hearts dancing for joy in the presence of the Holy Ark who
carried Christ the Lord. And Moses might still say: ‘Arise, O Lord, that
your enemies may be scattered, and those who hate you may flee before
you’” (Num.10:35).
