Paschal Mystery and Resurrection Passover

Jesus' saving death and its memorial in the Eucharist, associated with the Jewish feast of Passover (or Pasch) commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from death by the blood of the lamb sprinkled on the doorposts in Egypt, which the angel of death saw and "passed over." Hence Jesus is acknowledged in the New Testament as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world; He is the Paschal Lamb, the symbol of Israel's redemption at the first Passover. The Eucharist celebrates the new Passover, in which Jesus "passes over" to his Father by his death and resurrection, thus anticipating the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the Kingdom.
Christs work of redemption accomplished by His passion, death, resurrection and glorious ascension, whereby dying he destroyed our death, rising he restored our life. The paschal Mystery is celebrated and made present in the liturgy of the Church and its saving effects are communicated through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, which renews the paschal sacrifice of Christ as the sacrifice offered by the Church.

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Passover
God Passed Over the Israelite homes, whose door posts were smeared with blood, by the perfect unblemished sacrificial lamb, but took the lives of the first born of the Egyptians. This act of Gods justice caused Pharaoh let the Israelites go. The term Paschal Mystery refers to the new Passover, which is the liberation of all humanity from all time from the slavery of sin by the Son of God, who was the Lamb of God, who suffered and died on the Cross. The beams of the cross was wear the blood was smeared by the innocent unblemished Lamb of God.

St. Paul Refers to the Paschal Mystery in Ephesians 1:3-10

The Fathers Plan of Salvation. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.
Fulfillment through Christ. In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

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The Paschal Mystery therefore refers to the saving events of Christs Passion, death, burial, descent to hell (the abode of the dead), resurrection and ascension into heaven.
Mystery in this context mystery refers to something knowable but beyond our full comprehension. The Paschal Mystery is the suffering, death, resurrection, and glorification of Jesus Christ which frees us from sin and death and brings us Salvation.

We profess the Paschal Mystery in the Apostles Creed. Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Redemption- What is it? Jesus the redeemer of the whole human race, offered His sufferings and death to God as a fitting sacrifice in satisfaction for the sins of men and regained for them the right to be children of God and heirs of heaven. That is why Holy Week, Easter and the Easter Season unto the Ascension of the Lord are the highest holy season of the year, because it celebrates the Paschal Mystery.

During Holy Week, we celebrate: the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the death of Jesus on Good Friday, Saturday morning (Holy Saturday) in the Liturgy of the HoursOur Lords descent unto the dead and Saturday evening with the Easter Vigil we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus and on (Easter Sunday) as well.
Ascension of Jesus-takes place 40 days after Easter, because Jesus continued to appear to His apostles and disciples for 40 days, until He ascended into heaven. Acts 1:1-11

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection The Paschal Mystery Encompasses 3 Major Elements:
1. Sin- Original sin and all sin deliberately upset the plan of God Adam and Eve lost what God had planned for them and for us. They lost their friendship with God and would now die. They not only lost paradise, but also heaven. They lost sanctifying grace. By sin, we were torn from the arms of God. 2. The Fathers Love for Us- God is love and out of His love for us would not cease to care for us. He would save us. Sin abounded, but out of Gods love, grace abounds all the more. God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, to bring us back and restore us to Himself. 3. The Work of Jesus Christ- Christs whole life was a mystery of redemption. All that Jesus did, especially His suffering, death, resurrection and ascension was for the purpose of restoring us back to Him, by redeeming us. His life was an offering of Himself to His Father in atonement for sin and to reconcile us. The Eucharist was to be a memorial of His life of sacrifice. His passion was the very reason for His incarnation (becoming as man). The real cause of Christs death was everyones sins, not only the Jewish leaders and Romans. We are all responsible for the nails that nailed Him to the Cross.

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Paschal Mystery is Profoundly Connected to & Expressed at the Last Supper

At the Last Supper Jesus anticipated the Paschal Mystery His self-offering Really made it present when he said: This is my Body which is given for you (Luke 22:19) This is my Blood which is poured out... (Matthew 26:28) He both instituted the Eucharist as the living memorial (1 Cor 11:25) of his sacrifice and instituted his apostles as priests of the new covenant.

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection CCC 1085 In the liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal mystery that Christ signifies and makes present. During his earthly life Jesus announced his Paschal mystery by his teaching and anticipated it by his actions. When his Hour comes, he lives out the unique event of history which does not pass away: Jesus dies, is buried, rises from the dead, and is seated at the right hand of the Father "once for all." [Rom 6:10; Heb 7:27; 9:12; cf. Jn 13:1; 17:1] His Paschal mystery is a real event that occurred in our history, but it is unique: all other historical events happen once, and then they pass away, swallowed up in the past. The Paschal mystery of Christ, by contrast, cannot remain only in the past, because by his death he destroyed death, and all that Christ is - all that he did and suffered for all men - participates in the divine eternity, and so transcends all times while being made present in them all. The event of the Cross and Resurrection abides and draws everything toward life.

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CCC 1113 The whole liturgical life of the Church revolves around the Eucharistic sacrifice and the sacraments. There are seven sacraments in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. CCC 1114 "Adhering to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, to the apostolic traditions, and to the consensus . . . of the Fathers," we profess that "the sacraments of the new law were . . . all instituted by Jesus Christ our Lord. CCC 1115 Jesus' words and actions during his hidden life and public ministry were already salvific, for they anticipated the power of his Paschal mystery. They announced and prepared what he was going to give the Church when all was accomplished. The mysteries of Christ's life are the foundations of what he would henceforth dispense in the sacraments, through the ministers of his Church, for "what was visible in our Savior has passed over into his mysteries.
CCC 1116 Sacraments are "powers that comes forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are "the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant.

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection What is meant by mystery? We must keep in mind the double meaning of this word in the Scriptures. The first meaning is that of our usual language: something concealed, a hidden truth. Why is this astonishing novelty, this mystery, habitually associated with the adjective "paschal"? Because the mystery of salvation was fulfilled by means of the death and resurrection of Christ, by means of the Cross, and is perpetuated by means of the Eucharistic sacrifice: Eucharist, Passion, Resurrection are the salvific Passover accomplished by Jesus: "Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed'' (I Cor. 5, 7), our liberator, our savior. The paschal mystery is nothing but redemption, that is the history of salvation, which has its focal point in the death and the glorification of Christ. The secret of this mystery is the Word of God made man who, out of love for man, died and rose again. Pope Paul VI, Live the Paschal Mystery

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection What Led to the Crucifixion?

Some leaders of Israel accused Jesus of acting against the law, the temple, and the faith in the one God Law - Jesus did not abolish the Law but he fulfilled it and gave it its full meaning and proper interpretation Temple - Jesus was accused of being hostile toward the temple. But in fact, he reverenced it and called it the house of his Father (John 2:16); Yet, he also foretold its destruction and its fulfillment in his own body.

Israels Faith - Jesus never contradicted faith in the one God. The difficulty was that the Sanhedrin could not understand the unity of God the Father and God the Son. They clearly understood, Jesus claimed to be God and so wanted to kill Him. All are responsible for the death of the Lord insofar as all have sinned; it cannot be blamed indiscriminately on the Jews .

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Sufferings Before the Crucifixion

Agony of the garden The intensity of fear and anxiety about the suffering that was before him caused Jesus to sweat blood. Hematidrosis the excretion of blood or blood pigment through the skin, caused by intense levels of stress. Scourging at the pillar This was one of the fiercest forms of torture. The Roman practice was to use a flagrum with chips of bone, glass, or steal balls at the end of each cord. Romans did not put a limit to the number of scourges the Shroud of Turin suggests 160 scourge marks. Crowning with thorns was to mock Jesus who was condemned for being the King of the Jews Local plants and the Shroud suggest that it was a Cap of thorns with 1 to 2 inch thorns The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53)

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Crucifixion
Crucifixion was the most humiliating and shameful death possible. Only the worst criminals and slaves would be killed on the cross. Roman method of Crucifixion Carrying the horizontal crossbeam made of rough timber weighing 70-120 pounds Lifting up the crossbeam while nailing to it and attaching it to the vertical beam on which the feet were nailed. Left the criminal hanging naked as an example Breaking of the legs to cause suffocation Not one of his bones shall be broken (Ps 34:20; Jn 19:36) the Passover lamb could not have broken legs. Through his crucifixion and resurrection Jesus fulfilled the scriptures and Gods plan of redemption (Ps 22).

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection Stations of the Cross

History The early Christians would visit the holy places where Jesus, lived, died and rose. The Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) was visited by surrounding pilgrims as early as the 300s. The Holy sites of Jerusalem were reproduced in other regions around the 5th century. From there the Franciscans and Dominicans developed the stations of the cross in the 14th and 15th centuries. Spirituality of the Satiations of the Cross Miniature pilgrimage to Jerusalem Enkindles devotion to what Jesus did for our salvation. Serves as an act of penance for sins. Aids one in joining their burdens and sufferings to the Cross of Christ. --Popular during Fridays of Lent

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection Redemption means to free someone or buy him/her back. This was done by giving the necessary price or taking the necessary actions to free slaves or captives, e.g. the exodus when God redeemed Israel from Egypt. Humanity was enslaved by the devil, sin, the dept of punishment, and death. Satisfaction - Jesus freed us from the evil one and satisfied the debt of sin with the price of his blood. Satisfied comes from the Latin words satis which means enough and facere which means to make. Jesus did enough (made enough justice & love) to bring about our Salvation.

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Descent into Hell Hell in this case is the abode of the dead but not the hell of the damned Sheol - the abode of all who died before Christ Two Sheols: one for the dead and the other for the wicked dead. Jesus went down to the just souls in hell who were awaiting their Redeemer. It is important to remember that both Jesus body and soul even after they separated were united to the Word (his one divine person) It is the Sons body, it is the Sons soul.

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Holy Saturday Liturgy of the Hours, from an Ancient Homily on Holy Saturday
Something strange is happening there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear. He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: My Lord be with you all. Christ answered him: And with your spirit. He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light. I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated. For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden. See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree. I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you. Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

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Resurrection
The Resurrection is the crowning truth of our faith It is both a historical and mystical event Historical Empty tomb He was visually seen The apostles witnessed to it with signs and even to death Mystical Glorified Body Christs body entered into the divine life of God which is above time and history The Resurrection event was not seen--yet Jesus appeared to many and Christians still experience the Risen Christ today as they did in the early Church. Christs Resurrection is the source of our resurrection.

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Easter Vigil
Celebrated at dark on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. Christ our light bursts forth in the darkness as a symbol of the Resurrection. The light of Christ comes from the blessed fire and the Easter Candle is lit, which represents Christ. Its the Mother of all Vigils. There are three parts to the Mass: The Service of Light, the Word and the Eucharist. Those who become Catholic enter the Church through baptism, or if baptized through the profession of faith, then receive Confirmation, followed by Eucharist for the first time.

Easter Sunday
Christ rose from the dead on Sunday. He foretold His own resurrection. Destroy this temple and I will raise it up. He told His apostles He would be put to death and rise again on the third day. Matt. 27:63

Easter is the Feast of Feasts

Easter is the feasts of feasts commemorating the resurrection of Jesus and Him redeeming us. It is celebrated on the first Sunday, following the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the first day of spring.

40 Days after Easter is Ascension Thursday The Easter Season lasts for 50 days until Pentecost. The Easter Octave (8 days of solemnity of Easter)

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Paschal Mystery and Resurrection

-If anyone says, If the bones of Jesus were discovered, my faith would not be affected is speaking heresy. -He was visibly seen by many. -Many touched Him and some watched Him eat before them. -Given all the witnesses, it is impossible to believe the Resurrection of Jesus was merely spiritual. -It was a historical and physical reality. The Church has always taught it was a historical and physical reality. -Gospel of Judas?- Jesus supposedly revealed secret things to Judas to help Judas fulfill scriptures and so participate in the death of Jesus. This is Gnosticism. -Gospel of Thomas?- Jesus performs miracles as a child. (this is apocrypha). All scripture is inspired by God, only those which are in the canon of the bible are scripture, all others are not. -Ossuary?- the brother of Jesus (bones). Fake So in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be alive. Our Lords Resurrection is the definitive proof of His Divine authority.

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection Italian Government Scientists Have Claimed to Have Discovered Evidence That a Supernatural Event Formed the Image on the Turin Shroud, Believed by Many to be the Burial Cloth of Jesus Christ.
After years of work trying to replicate the coloring on the shroud, a similar image has been created by the scientists. However, they only managed the effect by scorching equivalent linen material with high-intensity ultra violet lasers, undermining the arguments of other research, they say, which claims the Turin Shroud is a medieval hoax. Such technology, say researchers from the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (Enea), was far beyond the capability of medieval forgers, whom most experts have credited with making the famous relic. The results show that a short and intense burst of UV directional radiation can color a linen cloth so as to reproduce many of the peculiar characteristics of the body image on the Shroud of Turin, they said.

Paschal Mystery and Resurrection Resurrection of the Body

-In the apostles Creed, we profess, I believe in the resurrection of the body. -When we say this we are saying we believe our physical body will be reunited with our soul in eternity. -Our bodies which will grow stiff, cold, and corrupt, or become ashes, ----will like the body of Jesus, be brought to life again. -When we receive the Eucharist, we partake in the risen Savior, who will someday receive back our bodies, glorified and made fit to dwell forever in Heaven. -Nourished with the body and blood of Jesus, we will appear with Him in glory. -If we lived and died in righteousness, we will in soul and body be resplendent in heaven, a foreshadowing of what the apostles saw on Mount Tabor. -We must await our bodily resurrection, until the Second Coming of Jesus. -Then our bodies will be glorified, no longer corruptible. -Not only the good will receive a resurrected body, but so will the unjust, all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. (Jn 5;28-29) -The risen bodies of the damned will also rise to share eternal punishment. They will be hideous and repulsive, a horror to behold. They will remain condemned in hell forever, with their companions other wicked souls, and devils, followers of Satan. -Relics such as small bones-- hold great respect for the mortal remains of people of remarkable holiness. -We should respect our bodies and the bodies of others. As we are all part of Christ and we are one in Him and His body (the body of Christ). -By the Assumption of Mary, Her body and soul is already glorified in heaven, which is a sign of hope that we too can look forward and enjoy in heaven.

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Qualities of the Risen Body -Impassibility- our risen body will no longer be subject to pain, disease, death, hunger, thirst, sleep, cold, heat, fatigue. And death shall be no more. No more weeping. -Brightness- the body will shine with great radiance and glory (the just shall shine forth like the sun, in the kingdom of the Father). -Agility- The body can pass with the quickness of thought to all parts of the universe. -Subtlety- Risen body can penetrate material substances, even as Our Lord rose from the tomb and entered the Cenaclethe Upper Room. The risen body and soul will remain united forever in heaven.

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Ascension of Jesus into Heaven

After forty days during which Jesus showed himself to the apostles with ordinary human features which veiled his glory, Christ ascended into heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father. Why did He stay on earth for 40 days until His Ascension? To prove He had actually risen from the dead. To complete His instructions to the apostles. Ascension marks the entrance of humanity into the glory of God. He is the Lord who now reigns even in His humanity and He constantly intercedes for us before the Father. Through His humanity he sends us the Spirit and He gives us the hope of one day reaching the place He has prepared for us.