Word to the Wise
Friday, July 21, 2023 - Friday in the 15th Week in Ordinary Time
[Exod 11:10—12:14 and Matt 12:1-8]"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the first month of the year.....It is the Passover of the Lord. For on this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt - I, the Lord! But the blood will mark the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution." [Exodus]
When Jews gather to celebrate the Passover at the seder meal, a child is designated to ask why this is happening. The answer to that question is found in the Book of Exodus, quoted above. It is no coincidence that Jesus' passion, death and resurrection occurred at the time of the celebration of Passover. The Gospel According to John seems to indicate Jesus' death corresponded to the hour in which the Passover lambs were being slain. [John 19:36] Thus, the significance of the Passover event is not Jewish alone, but is incorporated into the decisive act of Jesus' own sacrifice of himself for our sake to deliver us from our sins. Just as God commanded the Jews to commemorate their deliverance annually at the celebration of the Passover, so the Lord has commanded us: "Do this in remembrance of me!"
Our Catholic tradition tries to follow the sequence of events at the time Jesus was crucified. (Some scholars believe the Last Supper was not a Passover meal). We call these days "the Sacred Triduum." It is difficult to capture all the symbolism that has carried over into the Holy Week celebrations when we are in the middle of a scorching summer. However, every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we commemorate the events of Holy Week. The scripture from Exodus can serve as a reminder of why we do this! AMEN