In John's Gospel we see the parallel between the Exodus story and the Paschal Mystery of Christ.

Friday, 4/20/12

They say that every good story has a clear beginning middle and end. That was true of the ancient story of God leading the people out of Egypt’s slavery, though the desert years, and into the Promised Land.

For us the word Passover refers to the meal the Israelites ate before beginning that journey, but for Bible people the word Passover describes the whole three-part story: they passed out of Egypt; passed over the desert; then passed into the Promised Land.

Now, St. John, in writing his Gospel consciously took the story of what Jesus does for us, and he patterned it on the ancient three-part Passover story. He converted the old Passover story onto our Passover Mystery.

In Chapter Two of John’s Gospel when Jesus broke with the past we read, “The Passover of the Jews was near.”

Here in Chapter Six when Jesus gave bread from heaven to people in a deserted place we read, “The Passover of the Jews was near.”

In Chapter Eleven when Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus for burial we read, “The Passover of the Jews was near.”

The Greek word for Passover was Pasch. By our celebrating Easter we share in Christ’s Paschal Mystery.