By Sr. Patricia O’Sullivan, G.N.S.H

Sr. Mary Ellen Hoen, G.N.S.H.

The Passover is a Jewish feast celebrating God’s saving action in the life of his Chosen. The Seder meal is the focal point of the family’s remembering and reliving of the first Passover. Seder is a feast of freedom. For it was at this moment in history that God fulfilled his promise to deliver his people from the bonds of slavery.

The ritual centers on the retelling of the plight of the Jews and their release as described in Exodus. God used drastic means to demonstrate his love. He asked only that they believe and follow his directions. They were instructed to slay a lamb and place the blood on the doorposts. This was the mark that would save their first born from the Angel of Death. Their last meal in the land of slavery consisted of unleavened bread (matzoh), since there was little time for the bread to rise, and lamb. Once freed, Yahweh injoined them to keep this day as a holy remembrance from generation to generation forever.

The Seder has the symbolic elements of unleavened bread, a shank bone to represent the lamb, bitter herbs for the time of slavery, salt water for the tears shed, parsley as a sign of new life, charoset (a mixture of apples and nuts) for their labors in Egypt and wine for past joys and future hopes. The meal celebration includes songs and prayers of thanksgiving and praise. This event immerses them in the heritage of their foregathers and in the mystery of God’s never-ending love and mercy.

His mandate to remember the Passover was faithful and joyfully kept by the Israelites. In doing the will of his Father, Jesus sat with friends to share the Seder meal before his death. It was at this supper that Jesus brought the Old Testament to it’s richest moment and establishment a new rite.

This is MY body … This is MY blood.

The Mass is a Jesus feast in which we remember, retell and relive God’s saving action in the life of his chosen. The Eucharistic meal is the focal point of the mystery in which we partake of the Lamb, Christ’s gift of himself. Once again, God used drastic means to demonstrate His love in order to redeem us.

“Yes, God so loved the world that He gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not be lost but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

It is through the sacrifice of this Lamb that we are able to ‘pass over’ from death to new life.

Our ritual includes readings that reveal the healing touch, powerful words and teachings of our Savior which help us to recall more vividly God’s involvement with us. Songs of praise and prayers of thanksgiving prepare us for the reception of the Lord in the form of unleavened bread.

The core of our celebration as Catholics is the Eucharist. It is vital to our growth to become more aware of what Eucharist is and unveil the awesome meaning this gift is in our lives. We have the privilege of partaking in the mystery of Eucharist every day, which calls forth a worshipful response for what the Father has done for us.

The new rite is a family celebration which unifies and strengthens us until he comes again. Through the cup Jesus raised and the bread he broke, he joined for all time the testaments of promise and fulfillment. Thus we are bound to the heritage He cherished, practiced and passed on.

Do this in memory of me.