Monday, June 21, 2021
The Ark Comes to Jerusalem
Robert Leinweber: David Dancing Before the Ark
Here – and also in 2 Samuel 6 – we see David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem amid celebration and festivity. The presence of God brings a response of joy and thanksgiving from the people. The priest blesses both the occasion and the faithful; David cavorts with elation; a meal is served. The people worship God because the Ark containing sacred text, sacred food and the sacred blooming staff has taken up residence. These people feel invulnerable, joyful and grateful.
Within each of us is the place where God dwells and where scripture flourishes like Aaron’s staff. We are sustained by the new desert manna: the body and blood of Christ. We take this dwelling with us on our desert journey. We too might leap for joy and bow down in reverence and happiness. We too might bring the Ark to Jerusalem. There is no obstacle to knowing God’s presence except the obstacles we ourselves set up.
Give thanks to the Lord, invoke his name.
God is the originator of all that is good and holy.
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!
We can offer up all that sorrows us when we come into the presence of the Lord.
Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly.
We honor God when we perform his works rather than our own.
Give to the Lord . . . bring gifts and enter into his presence.
The best offering to God is that of ourselves. We carry to him the burdens of our day, our attempts to do his bidding.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his kindness endures forever.
We do not need to build an ark to house our sacred reminders of God’s presence for we already possess it. It is our hearts that hold all sacredness holy.
We do not need to build a temple to God for it is already built. It is the temple of our bodies.
We do not need to offer burnt sacrifices to God for they are already present in any sorrow we experience.
So let us bring the burnt remnants of our losses, let us give thanks for God’s providence and care, and let us rejoice in the knowing that we are created for love by love.
David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem to place it in the tent set aside for Yahweh.
Let us lay our burdens on the altar of our lives . . . and like David, let us leap and dance for joy.
Adapted from a reflection written on February 21, 2009.
Image from: https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/as-david-dancing-before-the-ark-robert-leinweber-00-10s/17276478
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