3. The Paschal Feast of Israel

(The Covenant of the Paschal Feast observes the perpetual remembrance of the Passing of the Lord over Israel and their Exodus out of Egypt, being freed from their bondage from sin. The sister of Moses (Miriam) is the precursor of Mary as Daughter of God the Father, Spouse of God the Holy Ghost, and Mother of God’s Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Similarly, the Descent of the Holy Ghost on the faithful followers of Jesus Christ fulfills the Old Testament Passover and Exodus as the Feast of Pentecost, marking the beginning of the Divine Mission of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.)

Exodus 12:1; 14; 25-27.  And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:… And this day shall be for a memorial to you; and you shall keep it a feast to the Lord in your generations, with an everlasting observance… And when you have entered into the land which the Lord will give you, as he hath promised, you shall observe these ceremonies.  And when your children shall say to you: What is the meaning of this service?  You shall say to them:  It is the victim of the passage of the Lord, when he passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, striking the Egyptians, and saving our houses.  And the people bowing themselves, adored.”

“From the time of the Mosaic law, the People of God have observed fixed feasts, beginning with Passover, to commemorate the astonishing actions of the Savior God, to give him thanks for them, to perpetuate their remembrance, and to teach new generations to conform their conduct to them.  In the age of the Church, between the Passover of Christ already accomplished once for all, and its consummation in the kingdom of God, the liturgy celebrated on fixed days bears the imprint of the newness of the mystery of Christ” (CCC, 1164).

“Christ’s death is both the Paschal sacrifice that accomplishes the definitive redemption of men, through “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” (Jn 1:29; cf. 8:34-36; 1 Cor 5:7; 1 Pet 1:19) and the sacrifice of the New Covenant, which restores man to communion with God by reconciling him to God through the ‘blood of the covenant, which was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’ (Mt 26:28; cf. Ex 24:8; Lev 16:15-16; 1 Cor 11:25)” (CCC, 613).

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys (contemplating the mystery), Glory Be and Fatima Prayer.

Excerpt from The Holy Family Rosary:

In Exodus 20: 2-17, the first Commandment reads:  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

The knowledge of God’s intercessory power in this meditation is made clear and becomes a substantial foundation in celebration of God’s Divine Mercy by Our Lord’s anticipatory sacrifice and future offering of Himself as our Paschal Lamb.  There can be no doubt that Mary and Joseph practiced this rite in that they made yearly pilgrimages to observe the Passover (from death) and Exodus of the Israelites, celebrating the Paschal Feast of the Tabernacle in Jerusalem in fulfillment to keep a perpetual remembrance of these great feats.  This was also witnessed in the Incarnate Life of Jesus Christ that followed the displayed power of God’s guidance of His people Israel through the Red Sea, and reminded of His confirming Holy Will in all that is invisible and visible, was and is, seen and unseen.  Truly, God’s Divine Mercy is omnipresent, eternally.

In this meditation we are also reminded of the Israelites’ imposed reliance on God while roaming for forty years in the desert as punishment for their ensuing disbelief. An impressive remembrance of God’s providential care to spare the children of Israel in relief from their bondage in sin yet learning that even with all of this opportunity for rebirth, we must be careful not to worship false gods as they did.  When we are in need, especially of God “passing over” us from our fear or in “exodus” to escape illness, loss and/or death, we must address what purpose God holds for our good.  The outcome gives us additional and more certain repose in questioning how we could possibly choose to cause or suffer death through choices such as abortion, euthanasia, fatwa, or genocide with God’s examples of giving such opportunity for life renewed.  What did Mary expect of God in knowing this?

We can clearly see how unborn children’s needs are immediately within context of all of these meditations for our obligation to follow Moses’ words: “I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.  Choose therefore life, that both thou and thy seed may live: And that thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and obey his voice, and adhere to him (for he is thy life, and the length of thy days,) that thou mayst dwell in the land, for which the Lord swore to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give it them.”[1]  Pondering this meditation admonishes us to believe that obedience to God’s Will in all of our thoughts, words, and deeds is a very necessary thing indeed.

Another importance of this mystery is that Christ’s Church teaches that this meditation is fulfilled in the Descent of the Holy Ghost, after the pouring out of Christ’s Sacred Heart divinely formed in Mary’s Love.  Of this St. Paul commented: “By faith he celebrated the pasch, and the shedding of the blood; that he, who destroyed the firstborn, might not touch them.”[2]  And again, “Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new paste, as you are unleavened.  For Christ our pasch is sacrificed.[3]  Amen!  Once and for many Lord, again and again and again!  Amen, amen, and amen!


[1] Deut. 30:19-20.
[2] Heb. 11:28.
[3] 1 Cor. 5:7