The idea
The quest for the lost Ark ends with a prophecy: in the future age the Ark 'shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; it shall not be made again.' It will not be missed because the New Testament tells us where the true Ark is — in heaven. Then the chapter's application. Jesus died and rose 'so that the body of every person can be transformed by grace into a temple of the holy spirit.' Mary is 'just a human being,' given a unique share in her Son's glory; her assumption 'shows us that bodily resurrection and ascension into heaven aren't just for Jesus. They are for us too.'
Key verses
- Jeremiah 3:16 — the Ark not remembered or missed.
- Revelation 11:19 — the true Ark, in heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 — the body a temple of the Holy Spirit.
- Luke 9:30 — the exodus that ends in heaven (v. 31).
The connection
| Old Testament root | New Testament fulfilment | |
|---|---|---|
| The Ark, lost and no longer missed | → | Mary in heaven — and the destiny of every redeemed body |
What was true of the Ark is promised to us: a body made holy as God's dwelling and kept from corruption. Mary's Assumption is the first instance of the resurrection of the body that the whole Church awaits.
Sources
- Benedict XVI — Assumption homily, 2011 (p 64) · read