What every Christian should know about Passover

Passover begins Monday evening.   The week-long feast takes place on the first night of the first full moon of spring.  Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from oppression in Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus.  During that event,  10 plagues were inflicted upon the Egyptians before Pharaoh freed the Israelites.  During the 10^th plague, the death of the Egyptian first-born, the Israelites were told to eat the meat of an unblemished (Paschal) lamb and to mark their doorposts with its blood.  Upon seeing this, the spirit of the Lord would pass over the first-born in these homes.  When Pharaoh finally freed the Israelites, it is believed that they left in such a hurry, they could not wait for their bread to rise.  For this reason, no leavened bread is eaten during the festival of Passover.   Jews further observe the memory of  Passover either by eating a lamb or by simply having a symbolic shankbone on a plate during the Seder Meal, the central ritual of  Passover. 

Though Passover is primarily a Jewish feast, it is, in many ways, the foundation for the Christian celebration of Easter.  The emancipation of the Israelites as told in Exodus is proclaimed at the Easter Vigil liturgy because it  foreshadows Christ’s liberation of humanity.   The image of the Passover or sacrificial lamb is seen as prefiguring  Christ as the Passover Lamb or the Lamb of God.  According to John’s gospel, (John 19:14), Jesus is believed to have died on the day of preparation for the Passover at the hour when the lambs for the feast were being slaughtered.   This is why the date of Easter takes place near Passover.  Like the Jewish feast of Passover, the date of Easter is determined by the first full moon of spring, taking place on the Sunday following the vernal equinox.  The prayers of blessing that are said during the Seder Meal form the basis of our Eucharistic Prayers.  The food and drink consumed during  the Seder, unleavened bread and wine,  are the primary food and drink of our Eucharistic meal.  So, as we prepare to celebrate Easter, let us also recall our Jewish sisters and brothers as together we remember and celebrate the faithfulness of God.