3. The most solemn feast in all the Jewish
festivals recalling their “passing over”
from slavery in Egypt to new life of
freedom under God’s protection. It is
known as the Festival of Freedom.
It lasts for eight days. It begins with a
special meal called the Seder (Hebrew
= order).
4. The paschal supper was always
celebrated in Jerusalem as prescribed by
law. Today, however, the meal is
celebrated at every Jewish home, but
with the hope that the next year, the
Passover will be celebrated at Jerusalem
with all the Jewish nation gathered
together with the Kingdom of David
reigning forever.
5. The paschal supper was a symbolic
reenactment which includes:
1. The night of watching
2. The possession of the Promised Land
3. The partaking of the bread and wine
4. The “holy calling together of the people”
The paschal meal is reminder that the meal
is a sacred meeting where all dine with one
another and form a close relationship as
they do no harm to one another.
6.
7. Matzah (matzoh;
mazzot) – an
unleavened
bread that
reminds of the
Jews’ hurried
departure from
Egypt with no
time for bread to
rise.
8. Wine – symbolizes
the sweetness of life
and the world as
God shapes it.
The wine is drank
four times in four
parts:
1. Kaddesh (kiddush)
– “I will bring
out…”; reciting the
blessing in honor of
the holiday
symbolizing this
present world; also
symbolizing of the
calling of Abraham.
9. 2. Maggid – “I will
deliver…”;
symbolizing the
Messianic age;
also symbolizing
the redemption of
the Israelites
during the Exodus
event as retold in
the Haggadah.
10. 3. Barekh (praying
the Birkhat
Hamazon—the
grace after meals)
– “I will
redeem…”;
symbolizing the
world at the final
resurrection; also
symbolizes the
survival of the
Jews during the
Exile
11. 4. Hallel – “I will
take…”;
symbolizing the
world to come as
the prophet Elijah
heralds the
coming of God;
also symbolizing
the salvation
which will come at
the end of days.
15. The elder (often
the father) asks the
son to point out the
noticeable
practices of the
Passover meal
which will be the
basis of the four
questions.
16. Why do we eat only
matzoh on Pesach?
Answer:“Matzoh
reminds us that
when the Jews left
the slavery of Egypt
they had no time to
bake their bread.
They took the raw
dough on their
journey and baked it
in the hot desert sun
into hard crackers
called matzoh.”
17. Why do we eat
bitter herbs,
maror, at our
Seder?
Answer:“Maror
reminds us of the
bitter and cruel
way the Pharaoh
treated the Jewish
people when they
were slaves in
Egypt.”
18. Why do we dip our
foods twice tonight?
Answer:“We dip bitter
herbs into Charoset to
remind us how hard the
Jewish slaves worked in
Egypt.The chopped
apples and nuts look like
the clay used to make
the bricks used in
building the Pharaoh's
buildings.
We dip parsley into salt
water.The parsley
reminds us that spring is
here and new life will
grow.The salt water
reminds us of the tears
of the Jewish slaves.”
19. Why do we lean on
a pillow tonight?
Answer:“We lean
on a pillow to be
comfortable and to
remind us that
once we were
slaves, but now we
are free.”
20.
21. Maror (bitter herbs
such as
horseradish) –
represents the
bitterness of the
slavery the Jewish
people suffered
not only in Egypt,
but throughout
history.
23. Charoset (charoses
or haroseth) – a
mixture of
chopped apples,
walnuts, cinnamon,
and wine that
represents the
mortar the
Hebrews used
when assembling
the Pharoah’s
bricks.
24. Salt Water – represents the tears of
the Jewish people during
enslavement
25. Beitzah (baked or roasted egg) – symbolizes
mourning for the suffering and deaths of the
Jewish people over the ages; symbolizes
also new life in the age of come.
26. Zeroa (shank bone) –
symbolizes the
sacrificial lamb
offering that the Jews
made to God. The
blood of the lamb was
also used as it was
applied to the
doorways of the Jewish
dwellings to alert the
Angel of Death to pass
over their homes and
spare the life of their
firstborn during the
10th and last plague.
27. Extra goblet – put
on the table for
the eagerly
awaited guest,
Elijah, the prophet
of hope and faith.
28. The rites followed
during the meal ensure
that the younger
members of the family
understand why the
Exodus is important in
their lives.
Each food eaten during
the paschal meal is
symbolic of an event
during the Exodus.
29. The blessing of the
food and drink bring
about a closer
fellowship among
those dining together
and signifies a union
between the people
and God.
The paschal supper is
eaten at the same
time although in
different homes.
30.
31. What unusual act did Jesus add to the
usual rites of the Passover?
What significance did these unusual
acts have?
32. Jesus takes bread into His hands, and
blesses the wine, but does something
unusual as he says the words of
consecration – “This is My body…”;“This
is My blood…”
33. With these words, the
Lord Jesus institutes
the Sacrament of the
Holy Eucharist. He
does this in four
solemn actions:
1. He took bread and
wine
2. He gave praise and
thanks to the Father
in doing so
3. He broke the bread
4. He gave it to the
disciples.
34. The present celebration of the Liturgy of
the Eucharist is patterned after these four
solemn actions:
Solemn Acts of the Lord
Jesus during the Last
Supper:
The Liturgy of the
Eucharist
1. He took bread and wine
2. He gave praise and thanks
to the Father in doing so
3. He broke the bread
4. He gave it to the disciples.
1. Preparation of the Gifts
2. Eucharistic Prayer
3. Breaking of the Bread
4. Holy Communion
35. Jesus’ words and
acts during the Last
Supper changes His
coming death from
a senseless tragedy
to an act of love.
He enjoined them
to celebrate them
repeatedly:“Do this
in memory of Me.”
36. The Last Supper was prefigured by the
Passover meal as the reenactment takes on
a whole new meaning in the New
Covenant:
The Passover Meal The Last Supper
1. The night of watching
2. The possession of the
Promised Land
3. The partaking of the bread
and wine
4. The “holy calling together of
the people”
1. The Christian vigil
2. The Christian redemption
3. The Holy Eucharist
4. The forming of the Church
that celebrates the Holy
Eucharist
37. “The specific points of this
descriptive definition of the
Eucharist can be summarized as
follows:
First,the Eucharist was instituted
by Christ. He prepared for it in
the many fellowship meals
which he shared during his
public life. He established the
Eucharist at the Last Supper,the
night before he died on the
Cross. And he confirmed it as the
Risen Christ in his Easter meal
appearances to His disciples.
38. Secondly, the Eucharist is
celebrated with Christ by
the Christian community,
the Church. It is an
essentially ecclesial
act, carried out “by the
Mystical Body of
Christ, that is, by the
Head and his
members” (SC 7).
39. Thirdly, the Eucharist
is at once both
sacrifice and sacred
meal. It is the
memorial instituted
by Christ so that the
saving benefits of
his Death and
Resurrection can be
shared by the
People of God
through every age.
40. Fourthly,Christ
himself is really
present in the
Eucharistic
celebration in
multiple ways, but
especially under
the sacramental
signs of bread and
wine.
42. How can we make the Eucharist a real
Sacrament of Love as it is really meant to
be? Here are some suggestions:
Do tasks willingly and joyfully without
complaining and grumbling.
Be a friend in need. Help someone who
is in trouble.
Serve the community
Be kind.
44. What country is St.
Rose from?
What character traits
did she have as a
child? As a young
lady? As a member
of poor family?
How is she honored
today?
45. Q:What is the Passover?
A:“The Passover is a
commemoration of the Jews’
release from slavery in Egypt.
Certain rites are followed to
make the past event meaningful
to the new generation.
46. Q: How did Jesus make unusual the
paschal meal He celebrated with His
apostles?
A:“He instituted the Sacrament of the
Holy Eucharist by adding to the usual
prayer of praise and thanksgiving the
words This is My body…and this is My
blood…thereby changing the bread and
wine into the body and blood of the Lord
Jesus.”
47. Q:What is signified by Jesus’ changing of
bread and wine to His body and blood?
A:“It signifies the sacrifice and covenant
of love that He offers us with His death.
The celebration of the Holy Eucharist
frees us from the hold of sin and enables
us to continue on our mission of love,
unity and charity.”
48. Q:Why did Jesus institute the Eucharist?
A:“Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the
Last Supper when He transformed bread
and wine to His Body and Blood. And
when He tells His Apostles to “…do this
in memory of Me.” (Luke 22: 19-20), He
commands them to celebrate the
Eucharist themselves.
49. How can I thank the LORD for all the good He
has done for me?
I will take the cup of salvation and I will call
upon the name of the LORD.
I will keep my promise to the LORD in the
presence of all his people.
The death of his faithful is precious in the eyes
of the LORD.
O LORD, I amYour servant,Your servant, the
Son of your maidservant
You have loosened my bonds.
To you, I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
(Psalm 116:12-17 )