Nothing in Scripture teaches Mary as an ark.
The exaltation of Mary continually exceeds even what God says about her.
In the process, glory is stolen from God.
That's odd. Most copies of the Bible mention who Jesus's mother was. Have a look in the New Testament. It should be there somewhere.
Mary is the Mother of God. She had a pivotal role in our salvation, just as Eve had a pivotal role in our near-destruction.
In perfect submission to God's word she brought God into the world.
Mary carried God for nine months in her womb and for many years in her arms.
She could indeed be called the Ark: carrying God across the weary desert of pre-Christian history. In that sense the Mosaic Ark pre-figured her, just as the Mosaic sacrifice prefigured Christ's holy and living sacrifice.
Mary is not God. Confused onlookers notwithstanding, no Catholic believes that she is God.
But she is greater than any other created being - above all angels and archangels. The titles we give to her - Ark of the Covenant, Virgin of Virgins, Theotokos and so forth - these all come from her God-given status as Mother of God.
The archangel Gabriel called Mary "Full of Grace". She is depicted in Revelation clothed in the Sun with the Moon beneath her feet. Clearly God wishes her to be treated with respect!
Hope this was helpful.
Good point. The Ark of the Covenant is, as the name implies, a vessel carrying the Covenant.
It’s contents were
1) Aaron’s Rod that budded,
2) A Pot of Manna, and
3) The Broken Tablets from Mt Sinai.
On top of the Ark is the Mercy Seat, upon which the blood is shed to atone for sin.
Atop the Ark of the Covenant, facing one another, are the 2 Cherubim, representing God’s Perfect Judgment and His Perfect Righteousness, both which comprise His Perfect Holiness.
His Perfect Righteousness, when faced with anything unrighteous (such as sin), demands Perfect Justice in Judgment of that before it. His Perfect Justice, demands Perfect Righteousness in the Judgment before them. They keep each other in check, always comprising His Perfect Holiness.
Those items in the Ark represent three cases of disobedience to His Plan. The Pot of Manna represents the rejection of His Providence. The rod that budded represents man’s disobedience to legitimate authority. The tablets represent man’s disobedience to His Law.
His Shed Blood atones for these items.
Mary doesn’t fulfill these elements, even if she is righteous.
And as with how Rome looks toward toward Mary (see above link), Israel looked more to the Ark than what is contained, and the Ark was later captured by the Philistines. (1Sam. 4-6)
And above the Ark was the mercy seat, representing Heaven, upon which two cherubim with raised wings and facing each other, covered the ark. From this place between the two cherubim God would to speak to Moses. (Ex. 25:17-22)
And thus rather than Mary, the Ark best represents Christ, gold representing His glory, as Christ is the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of His person, (Heb. 1:3) and who contained the law and the words of life, and the rod of God as did the Ark. (Heb. 9:4) And by whom God spoke to man, as the word was made flesh, taking on the common “wooden” body of man, but as John said, “we have beheld his glory His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Jn. 1:14)
But being judged according to outward appearance, He was taken by the enemy and crowned with thorns, only to return to His own, and will return, crowned as Lord and Savior. (Rv. 19:12)
And it is in Christ that believers have direct access to commune with God. Heb. 10:19) The fact that Christ came through Mary does not justify the focus being on her with its aforementioned type of exaltation any more than on Israel, of whom Christ came. (Rm. 9:5)
In addition, as for a place of gold, the Ark can be said to represent the New Jerusalem, which city will be pure gold, and is decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls. (Rv. 18:16; 21:8,21)
As for a women so bestowed with gold, the only women in the N.T. covered with gold is “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth:” "And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: " (Revelation 17:4)
Nothing in what the Church teaches about Mary does anything but point TO God, as our Creator and Father. HE chose Mary to be the vessel through which His Son, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity would come to earth in human visage. The Church venerates Mary precisely because she is that vessel, and if God thought enough of her to do this, shouldn't we show her the same honor?