Greetings to you all in the Mighty Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the human history temples play an important role. Temple symbolizes the presence of God. Many kings built many temples for their gods. King Solomon built the temple of the Most High. Beautiful was the architecture and magnificent was the construction. People believe the presence of God in the temples.
Does not God dwell in the whole universe? Yes He dwells. Then why one needs temple to worship God? Why one should always go to the temple to worship God? For all these kinds of questions the following analogy helps us to understand. The whole universe is filled with the sunlight. But when we keep a paper it will not get burnt. When the convex lens are kept under the sunlight, the divergent rays of the sun come into one single, powerful ray and the paper catches fire a few minutes after. So as the Temple. Though the graces and the presence of God is present in the whole universe the powerful and mighty presence of God is present in the Temple.
MARY, THE SANCTUARY OF GOD
The book of Genesis mentions the word, Bethel, meaning, the House of God. When Jacob flees from his father’s house and went towards Haran. He came to place and slep that night there, keeping a rock as his pillow. That night he had a dream of a ladder where the angels of God are ascending and descending and the Lord stood above it. He woke up, anointed the rock and said, surely God dwells here. He names the place Bethel, House of God ( Gen 28: 10-22).
Same is the case with Mother Mary. God the Father filled Her with all the graces and favors and henceforth the angel greets Her as, “ O Highly Favored One.” And in other versions, Hail Mary, Full of Grace.” The eternal word became flesh in her womb. The Holy Spirit overshadowed her completely.
The most holiest place in the temple is the sanctuary, where the Holy of the Holies dwell. Mary is the Most Holy Sanctuary. Analogically, if the whole universe is compared to be the house of God, Mary’s womb is the Most Holy Sanctuary where the Most High dwelt.
Here are three reasons why Mary is called the sanctuary of God.
In the old testament the tabernacle consists of three important things present in it.
1. The Ten Commandments ( The Word)
2. The Staff of Aaron (The Life)
3. The Manna (The Bread)
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments represent the Word of God. In Mary’s womb also dwelt the Eternal Word, Logos. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God……………and the word became flesh and dwelt amongst us ( Jn 1: 1, 14). Mary bore the Eternal word in Her womb. Hence she is called the sanctuary of God.
Staff of Aaron
Staff of Aaron resembles life. The book of Num. 17: 1-11 clearly explains this. When the people of Israel grumbled against Moses why Aaron only was allowed to enter the sanctuary, the Lord commanded Moses to order Israel to bring 12 staffs resembling the twelve tribes and the name of each tribe be written on the staff. On the staff of the tribe of Levi, the name of Aaron was to be written. The Lord commanded Moses to deposit them in front of Him in the tent of testimony. Whosoever’s staff was bloomed was the one whom the Lord had chosen to serve Him. Moses did as the Lord commanded. The next day morning when Moses entered the tent of testimony he saw, “ the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprout and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds”. The staff gives two theological meanings.
a. The staff resembles the election of Aaron ( Mary is chosen by God).
b. The staff resembles the Life. ( Mary conceived in her womb the life giving word).
The Manna
The manna was the bread given to the people of Israel not to perish of hunger in the wilderness. So as, Jesus gave His Precious Body and Blood to the whole world not to perish. He says, I am the bread of Life. ( Jn 6: 35). I am the living bread that came down from heaven ( Jn 6: 50). And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh ( Jn 6:51). Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever ( Jn 6: 58).
Hence, Mary contains in her womb, the sanctuary, The Word, The Life and The Bread of Life. Hence she is called THE SANCTUARY OF GOD. When anyone comes to Mary, it is like one coming to the sanctuary where the Most High dwells. Amen.
Written by
Bro. Rajendra
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