The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses. Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when you reach the edge of the waters. "So Joshua said to the children of Israel, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD, your God. This is how you will know that there is a living God in your midst, who at your approach will dispossess the Canaanites. The ark of the covenant of the LORD of the whole earth will precede you into the Jordan. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the water of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; for the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a solid bank." The people struck their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; while those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.
REFLECTION
"When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow." (Joshua 3:13)
"The sea saw and fled;
the Jordan turned back." (Psalm 114:3)
This supernatural event occurred because all creation obeys its creator, the Lord. The ark was holy; God was in it; only priests - set aside (consecrated) could carry it; it was terrifying; anyone else who touched it, was struck dead, literally!!!
The ark of the covenant was the foreshadowing of the Blessed Virgin Mary, created by God - not man - for the singular purpose, the singular privilege, of carrying his own beloved Son, God incarnate; conceived and nurtured in her womb; drawing His human DNA and His Precious Blood from her. She is, the New Ark of the Covenant whom demons fear and angels marvel! She is more terrible than an army arrayed for battle. Is it any wonder why the Church teaches that she is undefiled 'ever' Virgin; and St Joseph is ever chaste? No other woman or human being shares this singular elevated honor; no one!!! "Hail Mary", was the Angel Gabriel's greeting; no one else in scripture is addressed with this royal salutation!
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