God Among Us
In April’s edition of Full of Grace Youth Journal, we’re continuing our journey through the liturgy by looking at how God was present to His people in the Old Testament. This month reminds the young readers to recognize God among us.
God’s Presence in the Old Testament
Even before God became man and dwelt among us, He was present to His people. The Ark of the Covenant was the most important way God dwelt among His people—so what was the Ark?
The Ark of the Covenant was a special vessel or chest. God commanded the Israelites to erect the Ark, with the Mercy Seat atop it, as a sacred container for His testament. It contained the tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments, manna, and the Rod of Aaron.
God Leading His People
The Ark of the Covenant was a visible sign of God’s presence among His people, and God even spoke to Moses directly from a cloud atop the Mercy Seat. The Israelites carried the Ark before them at all times, even in battle and in going amid hostile people. It was a reminder for them to put God first and that God led them. It was also a reminder of God’s great holiness and of their need for Him.
Leading us to her Son
The Ark of the Covenant prefigured several things in the New Testament. The Church Fathers unanimously taught that it was a type of Mary. Just as the Ark contained the presence of God and brought God to His people, Mary contained Jesus Christ in Her womb and brought Him into the world for our salvation. The Ark also is a type of the Church, as the Church is the Body of Christ. It is also a type of Christ Himself.
God’s Dwelling Place
We still need God’s presence, just as the Israelites did. But now, God dwells among His people truly and physically in the Eucharist. The Blessed Sacrament is Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity. The liturgy–the Mass–is the home of the Eucharist and the dwelling place of God.
Do you know a child who should be receiving the Full of Grace?
If you know a youth who would benefit from receiving monthly editions of Full of Grace, where they’ll dive into the liturgy and other aspects of their faith, sign them up today! Enroll them in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río at YouthGuild.org.
Full of Grace is a monthly journal for those enrolled in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río. Each journal includes a feature on a young saint or blessed, a daily consecration to Our Lady of Fatima, prayer cards and memory verses, Q&A, and art submitted by members of the guild!
Any youth is welcome to enroll. At their enrollment, youths will receive four special benefits:
- On the Feast Day of Saint José Sánchez del Río, February 10, the Shrine will host a special Mass for the youth guild, at the conclusion of which the celebrant will bless guild members with a first-class relic of Saint José Sánchez del Río.
- The youths enrolled in the Guild are remembered in the Prayers of the Faithful daily during Holy Mass.
- As members are commended to the special intercession of Saint José Sánchez del Río, each guild member receives a medal of the young saint.
- Members receive monthly editions of Full of Grace.
