Christ’s Passover: New Covenant for a new life
Ex 12:1-8,11-14; 1Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15
Dearest brothers and sisters, the celebration
of this evening - the Passover of the Lord - is at the foundation
of the Church’s life. It celebrates the institution of the Holy Eucharist by
Jesus Christ on the night He was Betrayed. The Holy Eucharist is the source and
summit of our faith; it is at the centre of the Christian life; it is what we
gather in the church to celebrate every day. This Passover also celebrates the
institution of the Sacred ministerial priesthood. We started its commemoration
by celebrating the Chrism Mass. The Eucharist is a meal that saves us from the
power of the sin and death, it is a meal of the new covenant, and a meal that
requires its recipients to live a particular pattern of life. These qualities
are clearly illustrated in the readings of today.
The first reading from the book of Exodus
recounted the Passover meal and the experience of the people of Israel in
Egypt, the land of slavery. After many years of suffering and slavery in the
land of Egypt, God instructed the people to prepare to leave Egypt. On the
night of their departure, God instructed them to mark their liberation and
redemption by celebrating the Passover. They killed a lamb, ate it in a ceremonious
way, but in a haste, and smeared it blood on their doorpost to save them from the
angel of death who would go round that night to kill the firstborn sons of the
people of Egypt. It was the blood of that lamb that saved them from death. The
Passover meal was to be commemorated every year to celebrate that event. It
became a great feast for the people of Israel, in remembrance of the great
event that saved them from slavery.
On the event of the commemoration of that
Passover, Jesus instituted a new Passover for us. Just like the old Passover, in
the new Passover, the blood of the Lamb that was shed on the Calvary saved us
from sin and death, and we are instructed to celebrate this meal in remembrance
of the salvific event that saved us in Christ.
In the second reading, Saint Paul tells us that
what Jesus did at the Last Supper was an institution of new covenant between
God and His people. So, the Eucharist is not just an ordinary meal, it is a
covenant between us and God. It replaced the old covenant with the people of Israel.
According to the Gospel accounts and that of St. Paul, we are to celebrate this
meal in remembrance of God’s saving deeds in Christ until Christ comes again. The
celebration is not to be a passive remembrance, but an active one, a
celebration that brings to life or makes present the same meal that was
instituted on that night by Christ. It is referred to as an anamnesis. The term
anamnesis shows us that the Eucharist is an active reminiscence of the Last Supper,
a celebration through which Christians actively enter into the Paschal mystery.
So, our active participation is required at every Mass if we really want to benefit
from the blessings of the Mass.
In the Gospel, Jesus showed us the type of life
he expects from those who have participated in the new covenant, it the life of
love and service to others. As soon as he finished eating the Passover meal, Jesus
descended from the table and started washing the feet of His disciples. Thereafter,
he told them that that he has given them an example to follow, and a new
commandment to love one another. Dear friends, the Eucharist is a communion
with God which challenges us to commune with one another. Jesus has
shown us that loving and serving one another are the qualities that should characterize
the life of whoever participates or has participated in this meal of love and
salvation. Therefore, all of us who participate in this meal are challenged
to go out to spread the love of God through good service to one another. We are
called to be humble in this service, just like Jesus who knelt down to wash the
feet of his apostle. The foot is the most common part of our body, the part
with which we march on dirt and filth. So, it is only a servant/slave who washes
the feet of others. At the Last Supper, Jesus assumed the position of the
servant/slave. He wants us to do same.
Therefore, dear friends, it will be a
contradiction if the one who is participating in this meal or who has
participated in this meal cannot love other people and cannot help those in
need. It will be a contradiction if the one who eats this salvific meal cannot
replicate what Christ did. It will also be a contradiction if the one who eats this
meal cannot be humble. Let us go out and replicate this new life required of us
by this new covenant.
Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima
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