by Fr. Peter Richard Kenrick
“Josue rent his garments and fell flat on
the ground before the ark of the Lord.” —Josue vii. 6
When the children of Israel were
journeying through the desert, after having been delivered from the bondage of
Egypt, God commanded them, among other things, to make an ark. This was to be
the visible emblem of His presence among them; and from the propitiatory or lid
which was suspended over the ark, without however closing it up, He gave
answers to Moses. (Exodus xxv.22) The ark was made of setim wood, and overlaid both
in the inside and outside with most pure gold. This ark was the most holy thing
among the Jews. It was placed in the tabernacle, within the sanctuary or “holy
of holies” — it was concealed by a veil, not only from the sight of the
people, but also from the priests, according to the commandment of God; and it
was only on the solemn day of “expiation,” that the high priest was
allowed to enter the sanctuary in which it was placed. When the tabernacle was
set up, and consecrated, the glory of the Lord filled it, (Exodus xl. 32) so
that not even Moses could enter into it. A cloud hung over the tabernacle by
day, and a fire by night. When it removed from the tabernacle, the children of
Israel went forward; if it hung over the tabernacle, they remained in the same
place. (Exodus xl. 32, 36) The ark contained a vessel filled with the manna, by
which the children of Israel were miraculously fed for forty years in the
desert. “When the ark was lifted up, Moses said: Arise, O Lord, and let thy
enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee flee from before thy face.”
(Numbers x. 35)
A pious and learned interpreter of the
Holy Scriptures (Cornelius a Lapide) says: “The ark containing the manna,
that is, Christ, is the Blessed Virgin, who causes us to overcome both men and
demons.” Mary is then called the “ark of the covenant,” because she
was the tabernacle of God with men; for not only the glory of the Lord filled
her, but the Lord of glory himself assumed human nature of her, and abode for
nine months in her sacred womb. If, then, the Jews were commanded to reverence
the ark; — and if God manifested, by so many extraordinary wonders, how jealous
He was of the honour of this symbol of His presence with his people, how much
more are all Christians bound to honour and reverence her? — whose relation to
the Deity is infinitely more intimate than was that which the Jewish ark of the
covenant bore to him. Shall not we then reverence Mary, as Josue reverenced the
ark, when he fell down before it. (Josue vii.6) In either case, the Majesty of
God is the ultimate object of our veneration. If we pay peculiar homage to
Mary, this mystical ark of the better covenant, it is because God Himself has
honoured her; and because He is infinitely more jealous of the honour due to
her, whom he made the mother of his consubstantial son, than he was of the
honour paid to the ancient ark, which was only a mere symbol of His presence.
If of every faithful soul, he says, “he who touches thee, touches the apple
of my eye,” how much more severely will he punish any positive irreverence,
or want of becoming respect towards her, who, alone of all creatures, bears to
Him the endearing and influential relation of Mother. The Bethsemites were
struck dead for irreverently looking at the ark, and Oza, for stretching out
his hand to sustain it; through a momentary forgetfulness of the power of Him
who filled it. How much more reason have those to fear the death of their
souls, who treat with indifference and sometimes with positive disrespect, the
Holy Mother of God! Ah! We may be assured, that were it not for the powerful
intercession of this most patient Mother, who has learned from her Divine Son
to pray for those who persecute her God would visit with exemplary severity the
awful temerity, which trifles with what He has made most holy and venerable.
Mary is the “ark of the covenant,”
because, like that glorious type, she is our protection and our defence. When
the ark passed over the Jordan, the waters were dried up. (Josue ch. iii) Can
we oppose to the torrent of human custom, which, as St. Augustin says, hurries
down the unhappy children of Adam to the infernal abyss, any thing more
powerful than the intercession of Mary? After the ark was borne round the walls
of Jericho in solemn procession for seven days, these strong bulwarks, by which
the enemies of God's people hoped to turn away the chastisement God was about
to inflict on them, fell to the ground. We may be assured, that however
formidable may be the difficulties we have to surmount in the attainment of any
object connected with the promotion of God's glory, we shall overcome them, by
bearing about with us this mystic ark — by looking for assistance to Mary. We
read in the scripture, that as long as the ark remained in the house of
Obededom, God blessed him and his household. (2 Kings vii. 2) Let us bring Mary
into our hearts, by banishing from them whatever may displease her Divine Son,
and cherishing a tender devotion towards her; by making her, after God, the
principal object of our affections; and we shall find by experience, that the
faithful servant of this holy Virgin will be enabled to say, both in time and
in eternity: “All good things came to me together with her, and innumerable
riches through her hands.” (Wisdom vii. 2)
EXAMPLE
If devotion to the Mother of God is
suitable and profitable for all conditions and relations of life, it is
especially so for youth, whom it inspires with the greatest aversion to vice;
and while it holds up before them the model of every virtue, procures for them
the protection and assistance of this good and powerful Virgin Mother. Among
many who have experienced this, St Francis Regis is particularly conspicuous.
He was born in 1597, in the diocese of Narbonne in France. From his earliest
childhood he had been taught to entertain a tender devotion to the Mother of
God. To sustain and exercise this feeling of piety, as also to enjoy its
benefits on a more extensive scale, he eagerly sought to be admitted into a
confraternity, which had for a special object to honour Mary. As soon as he
attained this wish, he believed himself bound to aspire after greater
perfection. No one showed a more determined resolution to regulate his life by
the rules of the confraternity than the youthful Francis. He increased his
prayers and devotional exercises; he approached the sacraments more frequently;
and he redoubled his exertions to attain perfection in all his words and
actions, in order to merit the approbation of God and of his Holy Mother. When
he afterwards entered into the Society of Jesus, his devotion to Mary received
a new impulse. When in school he profited by every opportunity, by means of
exhortation, instruction and prayer, to communicate to others the love of Mary,
with which his own heart was inflamed. It was, however, in the missions to
which he heroically devoted himself, and in which he spent the last ten years
of his life, that he manifested in a special manner his devotion to the Mother
of God, and imparted his own feelings to the faithful who heard his instructions.
He placed all his apostolic undertakings under the powerful protection of Mary;
he ever had her name in is mouth; and was always zealous for the promotion of
her honour. In all dangers or distress, he fled to her for assistance and
relief. He recommended himself to her patronage in all his instructions and
exhortations. His indefatigable zeal to gain souls for Jesus, and his fidelity
and love for Mary, merited for him to behold the Mother and the Son at his last
hour, who came to assist him in his final combat, and conduct his soul to the
happiness of heaven. Enraptured at the sight, Francis cried out to his
companion with exultation: “I see Jesus and Mary, who come to meet me, and
bring me to heaven; ah, brother, what a happiness; how contented I die !”
Saying this, he expired. — What a happiness, indeed, to have Jesus and Mary
assist us in our last moments! But this favour will only be granted to those
who during life have served them faithfully.
PRAYER
O holy Virgin, thou hast more claims on
our veneration than even the ark of the covenant had on that of the Jewish
people. In thy virginal womb was conceived the true manna of our souls, Jesus
Christ, in thee was the covenant of God's mercy to man consummated. Full of
holy awe at thy inconceivable dignity, I cast myself before thee, and implore
thee, that as God formerly spoke from the ark, so he would now speak peace to
my soul through thee. Obtain for me pardon for the innumerable violations of
His covenant, of which I have been guilty, and the grace to be, henceforward, a
faithful observer of all its holy obligations. And as the leaders of God's
people were accustomed to consult the ark, in all their difficulties, and
followed the mysterious cloud which hung over it; so do I resolve to fly to
thee in all my doubts and dangers: be thou to me a light to guide my steps, and
conduct me to the true land of promise, the Paradise of my God; where with thee
I may praise Him for an endless eternity. Amen.
PRACTICE
Excite within you a great reverence for
Mary, and avoid every thing that would indicate a want of due respect. Always
remember that although Mary be a creature, she is infinitely superior to all
other creatures. They are the servants of God: She is His Mother.
“Hail, Daughter of God the Father! Hail,
Mother of God the Son! Hail, Spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail, Temple of the Most
Holy Trinity!” — Simon
Garcia
No comments:
Post a Comment