“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 12:11
The holy Triduum begins. Today we fulfill this Old Testament
passage, revealing that the Passover would become “a perpetual
institution.” This passage concludes our First Reading instruction
from the LORD given to Moses and Aaron on how to prepare for the
Israelites’ liberation from Egypt. Plague after plague had been
inflicted upon the Egyptians, and none of them resulted in the
Israelites being set free. Therefore, the LORD instructed the
Israelites to celebrate the first Passover by killing a year-old
lamb, sprinkling its blood on their doorposts, and feasting on the
flesh in preparation for the journey to the Promised Land. Today,
we continue this Passover celebration as we share in the Sacrifice
of the Lamb of God, Whose Blood has been shed, Whose flesh we
consume, and Who leads us through the desert of life to the new and
eternal Promised Land of Heaven.
Just as the first Passover was a prefiguration of the Sacrifice of
the Lamb of God, so also the plagues that led up to the Passover
present us with much meaning. At first, all the water in Egypt
turned to blood. Then frogs, gnats, flies and pestilence covered
the land. Boils covered the skin of humans and animals. Hail rained
down, locusts covered the land, and finally darkness covered the
land for three days. None of these plagues was ultimately
successful in convincing Pharaoh to let God’s people go; therefore,
the final plague to be inflicted was the death of the firstborn. It
was the blood of the paschal lamb, sprinkled on the doorposts of
the Israelites’ houses that signaled to the angels to pass over
their homes.
The plagues inflicted on Pharaoh and the Egyptians were severe. But
because of their obstinacy, God continued until they changed.
Recall, also, that even after the Israelites were set free, Pharaoh
changed his mind and pursued them into the Red Sea where his army
perished.
Though these prefiguring events might not be that pleasant to
consider, they must be reflected upon. We must see in them God’s
tireless and relentless efforts to set us free from sin. The
obstinacy and oppression of Pharaoh are clear signs of the
oppressive evil within our world today, and within our own souls.
When we seek to embrace the freedom to which we are called, we will
be met with much temptation and oppression from the evil one, as
well as from our own fallen human nature. But if we trust in God,
as Moses did, then we will be given all we need to begin the
journey to freedom. Most specifically, the Flesh and Blood of the
Son of Man is our Paschal Lamb. The Eucharist, which was instituted
on Holy Thursday, protects us from the final death. Consuming the
Body of Christ also strengthens us for our spiritual journeys.
Without it, we have no protection from the evil one and lack the
strength we need to be faithful on our journey.
Reflect, today, upon God’s incredible commitment to set you free.
He came to earth, took on human form, offered His life in
sacrifice, and now feeds you with His sacred flesh. Without the
Eucharist as your spiritual food and His Sacred Blood covering you,
you will not survive. We all need the Eucharist. We need the Bread
of Heaven. We need the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of the
Savior of the World. God went to the greatest length to save you.
Accept His Gift that we especially commemorate and participate in
today.
My Sacrificial Lamb, You came to earth to set us free from the
oppression of the evil one and from the disorders of our fallen
human nature. Please feed me today and always with Your Sacred Body
and Precious Blood. By the strength of this Food from Heaven,
continue to lead me to the Promised Land of Heaven. Jesus, I trust
in You.
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Featured images above: Venice - Last supper of Christ by
Girolamo da Santacroce By Renáta Sedmáková, via Adobe
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