When my sister was little, she ran to my mother after a nightmare. Attempting to soothe her fears, my mother told her she should pray to Jesus and remember He is always with her. With worry wrinkling her forehead, my sister replied, "But Mama, I need somebody with skin on 'em!"

The tabernacle and its Ark of the Covenant were the Old Testament expression of God's desire to be present with His people. Jesus, our new Covenant, and Mary our new Ark, carry this expression forward into the Church, where God is still present on His throne.

 
Scripture References for The Show
Exodus 25:10-22, the exquisite description of the mysterious contents of the Holy of Holies

Exodus 20:4-5, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth..."

Numbers 3:29-31, The Levite tribe of Kohath was responsible for carrying the ark on the wilderness journey.

2 Samuel 6-8, David mistakenly allowed moving the ark by ox cart, resulting in its instability. Uzzah reached out to steady it and died as a result of touching it.

Exodus 25:10-22, The seat of the ark is called the mercy seat and was both a throne and oracle for God.

Leviticus 16, Description of the Day of Atonement, the highest holy day of the Israelite year. It was the only day anyone was allowed inside the Holy of Holies, and then it could only be the high priest (vs 2). The high priest sprinkled the blood of atonement on the mercy seat 7 times on this day.

Hebrews 9:3-5, The contents of the ark were a pot of manna, the rod of Aaron, and the Ten Commandments.

Deuteronomy 9:10, The two tables of stone were written with the finger of God, and on them were all the Ten Words which the Lord had spoke to Moses on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly at Sinai.

Josh.4:4, ff and Judg. 20:27, The ark accompanied Israelite armies in battle and its presence is attested at the siege of Jericho and in the War of Benjamin.

Full notes of Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant are here.
Episode Resources
Article on Mary as the Biblical "Portent" or "Sign" of the Church, here.
“Mary is a special young lady, but she is human and depraved, just as you and I are,” was the non-denominational pastor’s Christmas post this week. As I read the word "depraved," I shuddered.

Ironic, since—as a non-Catholic researching my way into the Catholic Church—my complete incredulity regarding the Church’s teachings on Mary cannot be overstated. I shared this Protestant pastor’s sentiment up to my full communion, and continued to harbor the suspicion for years afterward.

Honestly? I was scandalized by the Church’s assertions that God predestined...
A list of quotes from Church History regarding Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant, along with the year of the writing.

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The ark of the covenant was the throne from which God ruled. The Old Testament ark of the covenant, Mary, Jesus, the Church collectively, and you and I individually all express this idea. Jesus said “the Kingdom of God is within you,” meaning,