Episode Transcript  

One

The Visitation  

Luke describes the Visitation in such a way as to teach us that Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant. He draws a parallel between: Mary coming to Elizabeth in Luke 1:39-56 with the Ark of the Covenant coming to David in 2 Sam 6:2-16.

David arose and went to the hill country of Judah  (2 Sam 6:2). Mary arose and went to the hill country of Judah (Lk 1:39). David says, “How can the ark of the covenant of the Lord come to me?” (2 Sam 6:9) Elizabeth says, “Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” (Lk 1:43) Ark came to the house of Obededom (2 Sam 6:10). Mary came to the house of Zechariah (Lk 1:40). The Ark was there for three months (2 Sam 6:11). Mary stayed three months (Lk 1:56). David and all Israel were rejoicing (2 Sam 6:12). Mary rejoices in the Magnificat (Lk 1:47). David shouting (2 Sam 6:15). Elizabeth loud cry (Lk 1:42). David leaping and dancing (2 Sam 6:17). John the Baptist leaps in the womb of Elizabeth (Lk 1:41).

Two

The Old Ark of the Covenant  

In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant did four things: The Ark was the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Ark was the visible physical sign through which Israel encountered God. The Ark led them through the wilderness to the promised land. The Ark gave them victory in battle, as in the victory at Jericho (Joshua 6).

But what happened to the Ark? Before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC, Jeremiah the Prophet hid the Ark and lost it. Where is it now? In a warehouse in Washington, D.C.? No. The Ark is in heaven.  

Revelation 11-12 John is given a vision in which he sees, “Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple... And a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars… she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne…” 

Mary is the New and Everlasting Ark of the Covenant. The first Ark was never found because it was only a temporary sign that prepared for the New and Everlasting Ark of the Covenant, Mary, the Mother of God. That is why, in the book of Revelation, when John is given a vision of God’s temple in heaven he sees the Ark of the Covenant as a woman clothed with the Sun who is the mother of the male child who will rule all the nations, Jesus, and her children are all those who keep the commandments of Christ. 

Three

“Blessed are you among women.” 

In the Bible, only three women are honored with the words, “Blessed are you among women,” Mary, Judith, and Jael. And strikingly, each of them crushes the head of the enemy. 

In the book of Judges, chapter four, the Canaanites were attacking Israel at Mt. Tabor. In Judges chapter four, the Canaanite general Sisera sought food and rest in the tent of Jael. But when he fell asleep, she drove a tent peg through his head, securing Israel’s victory through an act of unexpected courage. This is the woman my daughter Grace chose as her confirmation saint, which should give you some insight into my daughter.  

Then there is Judith. When the Assyrians were threatening Israel, she entered the enemy camp and used her beauty and courage to gain the trust of their general, Holofernes. After he drank heavily and fell asleep, Judith took his own sword and cut off his head, delivering her people from destruction.

The Scriptures proclaim, “The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman,” Judith 13. But these heroic women point beyond themselves to the another woman. In Genesis 3:15, God says to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers; She will crush your head, while you strike at her heel.”

This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Mary. She is the Woman whose “yes” brought forth the Redeemer, and by her faith and obedience, she shares in His triumph over the serpent. She crushes the head of Satan, not with a weapon of war, but by her humility, purity, and unwavering faith. And her children, those who pray the Rosary and spread it, join her in striking at evil’s head with every Hail Mary. 

Four

The Final Confrontation and the Miracle of the Vistula 

In 1976, Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, soon to be Pope John Paul II, warned that we are living through “the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced… between the Church and the anti-Church, the Gospel and the anti-gospel, Christ and the antichrist.” He believed this trial was part of Divine Providence and insisted that the Church must face it with courage, even at the cost of suffering and blood. “Only thus,” he said, “can the Church be effectually renewed.” And he added soberly, “We must be strong and prepared and trust in Christ and in his Holy Mother and very, very assiduous in praying the holy rosary.” 

He even mentioned that “a great deal of it depends on the outcome on the Vistula,” referring to Poland’s historic battle for survival against communism. 

The Vistula is Poland’s great river and the setting of the Miracle of the Vistula on August 15th, 1920. As Soviet forces approached Warsaw, Polish and Russian soldiers reported seeing Mary appear above the battlefield. A sudden gap opened in the Soviet lines, and General Piłsudski flanked and routed the enemy. The people of Poland knew it: Mary had saved them. 

Five

Christ Will Conquer Through Mary—So Must We 

Reflecting on that miracle years later, Pope John Paul II wrote in Crossing the Threshold of Hope, “When victory comes, it will be brought by Mary. Christ will conquer through her, because He wants the Church’s victories now and in the future to be linked to her.” He saw a divine continuity linking Mary’s appearances at La Salette, Lourdes, Fatima, Jasna Góra, and the Miracle of the Vistula—a Marian thread woven through modern history, confronting the rise of atheism and godless ideologies. 

At Fatima, God made His plan clear: He wants to save the world through devotion to the Heart of Mary. That means: Consecrate yourself and your family to her. Pray and meditate daily on the Word of God in the Rosary. Invite your spouse, children, and friends to do the same. And talk about it, let it lead to a real, joyful conversation. 

This is how faith spreads. This is how the serpent is crushed, one consecrated heart, one Rosary, one family, one small community of friends at a time. 

Suggested Resolutions:

Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you. 

• This week, resolve to invite one other person to pray the Rosary with you, even if they say no. Keep making the invitation to others.

• One of the ways in which Mary has asked us to fight the spiritual battle is through the First Saturday’s devotion. Since the first saturday of the month is approaching, prepare by going to confession, finding a time to go to Mass, and offering Rosaries for the salvation of souls.

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