The Passover
One
The First Passover
In spite of the overwhelming evidence that Yahweh was God and none of the Egyptian gods were, Pharaoh hardened his heart against God and refused to let the Israelites go, bringing upon all of Egypt the death of the firstborn. Yet, God provided a way for the Israelites to be saved from the plague of death: They were to take a lamb without blemish and sacrifice it. They were to take the blood of the lamb and apply it to the doorposts and lintel of their home. Finally, they must eat the lamb that night. At midnight, Yahweh struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from Pharaoh’s heir to the firstborn of prisoners and even the firstborn of livestock.
The Book of Wisdom recounts the Passover in striking terms, “When peaceful silence lay over all and night had run the half of her swift course, down from the heavens, from the royal throne, leapt your all-powerful Word; into the heart of a doomed land the stern warrior leapt. Carrying your command like a sharp sword, he stood and filled the universe with death; he touched the sky yet trod the earth.” (Wisdom 18:14-16)
Yet, the homes marked by the blood of the lamb were spared. The Angel of Death passed over them.
Two
The New Passover
The first Passover in Egypt established a pattern for salvation from death: A lamb must be sacrificed. Its blood must be applied to the doorposts. The lamb had to be eaten. This first Passover prefigured the true and final Passover, where Jesus, the Lamb of God, would save us from eternal death.
In the New Passover, under the New Covenant: Jesus, the Lamb of God, is sacrificed. His blood is poured over us in Baptism, marking us as God’s people. We must eat the Lamb, receiving His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. By following the steps of the New Passover, we are saved not just from physical death but from eternal death, receiving the life of Heaven.
Three
Jesus is the Lamb of God
When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Just as the Israelites had to sacrifice a lamb to be saved from death, in the New Passover, Jesus, the Lamb of God, is sacrificed to deliver us from eternal death. Why does the death of Jesus take away sin and save us from death?
Because of the Fall, all humanity is born with original sin, and through personal sin, we turn away from God. The consequence of sin is death, not just physical death, but spiritual death, which separates us from God and the life of grace. Before Christ’s saving work, all who died were separated from Heaven. Those who desired God awaited redemption in Sheol, the abode of the dead, while those who rejected Him entered eternal separation in hell. How does the death of Jesus, the Lamb of God, save us?
Jesus, as God, possesses infinite divine life and love. When He became man, He united Himself to all of humanity. As the Catechism states, “In His incarnate divine person, He has in some way united Himself to every man” (CCC 618).
By taking on our humanity, He was able to bear the full consequences of sin—death—on behalf of all, thereby canceling the debt of sin (Colossians 2:13-14).
Four
The Blood of the Lamb and Baptism
In the first Passover, to be saved from death, one had to pour the blood of the lamb over the doorway. This was the first step in entering the Old Covenant, a relationship that would be sealed at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). In the New Covenant, we also need the blood of the Lamb poured over us. In the book of Revelation 1:5 John sees Jesus and declares, “He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood.”
In Baptism, the blood of Christ is poured over our body under the sacred sign of water, washing away our sins and infusing divine life within us. Through Baptism, we are reborn as children of God and enter into His covenant family.
Five
We Must Eat the Lamb
In the first Passover, it was not enough to sacrifice the lamb. It had to be eaten. Only those who ate the lamb were saved. Likewise, in the New Covenant, Christ, our Passover Lamb, gives us His own Flesh and Blood in the Eucharist.
In John chapter 6:53 Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day.” What does this mean for those who do not receive the Eucharist?
Baptism cleanses from sin and makes one a child of God. The Catechism states, “Baptism is the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other sacraments” (CCC 1213).
Baptism brings one into God’s family, but the Eucharist is the divine food that sustains and perfects the soul. While a baptized non-Catholic may be saved, the fullness of divine life is found only in the Catholic Church and in the Eucharist. Our love for the Eucharist and for our neighbor should set our hearts on fire to bring them into full communion with Christ, so that they, too, may receive the Bread of Life.
Suggested Resolutions:
Choose one resolution for today to help you grow closer to God, or create your own. Here are some ideas to inspire you.
Resolve to go to an extra Mass this week in order to receive the Lamb of God.
Spend time in thanksgiving after Mass, thanking the Lord for freeing us from death.