REFLECTIONS TODAY

Some Bible scholars will see in today’s Gospel episode an allusion to the Virgin Mary as the “Ark of the Covenant,” one of the many titles in her litany. Given Luke’s propensity for symbolism and allusion, this may not altogether be far-fetched. Can Luke be alluding to the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? David and all the Israelites brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy (2 Sm 6:15). Some verses earlier, he had expressed his fear and unworthiness by saying, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” (2 Sm 6:9). There are certainly verbal similarities to the narrative of Luke. Elizabeth also expresses her privilege of being visited by Mary who now carries the divine Child in her womb: “How does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (v 43). And if, in former times, the Shekinah or the presence of the Lord was “contained” in the ark, now the new ark is the womb of the Virgin Mary, containing God’s permanent presence among his people: the Word-made-flesh.

Gospel • Lk 1:39-56

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. *Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]); Website: [http://www.stpauls.ph](http://www.stpauls.ph).*