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His words
Off the
Wall
March
20, 2008
Today begins what Christians consider to be the
holiest days of the year Holy Thursday, Good Friday and
Easter. Since we have entered into the first phase of this glorious
weekend, I thought it would be fitting that I would concentrate
on the activities that led to the Last Supper and the consequential
aftermath.
Much can be gained by knowing the history of Passover.
God asked Moses to tell the Israelites to sacrifice a male, unblemished
year-old lamb to save the first born of each household. The blood
was to be smeared on the doorposts. When He saw it, He would
save His people. Pharaoh, Egypt's ruler, was holding the people
captive. The people were freed. Orders were given to celebrate
the Passover as the Feast of Unleavened Bread yearly, eating
only unleavened bread for one week.
So, on this day, Jesus, a Jew, and His apostles
were directed to the upper room where they would eat the Passover
meal.
As Scott Hahn, author of "The Lamb's Supper:
The Mass as Heaven on Earth," explained in his book, "The
obligation to offer sacrifice remained. Jesus observed the Jewish
laws regarding sacrifice. He celebrated the Passover every year
in Jerusalem; and presumably He ate the sacrificed lamb, first
with His family and later with the Apostles. It wasn't optional.
Consuming the lamb was the only way a faithful Jew could renew
his covenant with God, and Jesus was a faithful Jew."
But this Last Supper meal ended one tradition and
began a new one of such magnitude that it would change the lives
of people forever.
As He held the unleavened bread in His hand, the
Holy Spirit came down and touched it. After giving thanks, Christ
proclaimed, "This is my body which will be given for you.
Do this in memory of me. Likewise, He held up the sacrificed
blood. It, too, was touched by the Holy Spirit. His words followed.
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be
shed for you." What He said is what He meant His body,
His blood.
In announcing to his disciples that both species
weren't something of symbols, but that of actuality, He was paving
the way to a greater understanding as to His crucifixion and
the shedding of His blood, the substance that would lead us to
eternal life.
Hence, Jesus became the new Passover Lamb. No longer
would it be necessary for priests to atone animals for the offences
against God. This feast of the Unleavened Bread would become
the Mass we celebrate today.
In the same manner the Holy Spirit descended and
changed the bread into Christ's body during Passover, He would
consecrate the hosts that were held up by the priests.
When we go to Mass, we are invited to His banquet
table to partake of Him in His fullness, His body, blood, soul
and divinity.
In the words of Jesus, "It was not Moses who
gave the bread from heaven; My Father gives you the true bread
from heavenit gives life to the world."
Originally, "the sacrificial animal (lamb) died as
a ransom in place of the first born, an act of redemption, a
buying back" (Hahn). Christ's dying on the cross would thus
become our sacrificial lamb, shedding His blood for our redemption.
May you all have a very blessed Easter.
Paul J. Volkmann
1/5/08
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