Eastern Oklahoma Catholic April 2012 : Page 19
a sign that pointed to the One who would one day come and take upon Himself not only the sin of the firstborn of every Hebrew home in Egypt, but the sin of every soul – man, woman, and child, who would ever live – in any home of every people. Little did I know that every subsequent lamb slain after the Exodus (millions of them, in fact, under the Old Mosaic Covenant) was a sign that pointed to the Lamb, the Lamb of God , who would take away the sins of the entire world – and mine. The day I learned that fact of history. The day that the grace of that Lamb flooded my soul whose blood was shed for the entire world and for every soul who would ever live. One thing more I recall – one more life-changing thing: It was the day I overheard a conversation taking place by the same folks who told me that Christ (the Greek word for Messiah ) died for my sins. They were talking about Him as if He were alive ! “Excuse me,” I interrupted. “Did I hear you say He was alive?” “Yes,” they responded. But you told me He died. Yes, He did. But He rose from the dead. He’s no longer dead. He conquered death – and sin – and hell! I was in shock. “Why didn’t anyone say so?!! Everyone dies; no one comes back!” Peter, head of the Apostles and our first Pope, was no less astounded. After the Holy Spirit was poured out upon him and the Apostles at the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the transformed Peter stood before those thousands of Jews and, to their utter astonishment, proclaimed: “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know – this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:22-24) Uh-oh, Mother Miriam. Are you saying that the Jews killed Christ? No, Zelda, Peter said that. So we are to blame the Jews for the death of Christ? No, blame me. What do you mean? Dear Mother, does the “breaking of I killed Christ, dear Zelda. He died for bread” refer to the Eucharist? my sins. And He died for yours … and for Yes, indeed. Those first Christians the sins of everyone who ever lived. It was understood the Apostle Paul’s words: the Jewish leaders of the time, not the entire “Christ, our paschal lamb, has been nation, that yelled, “Crucify Him.” It was the sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate Roman officials, not the entire nation, who the festival …” (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) It was the physically nailed Him to the cross. Yet it was final Passover lamb whom they received neither the Jews nor the Romans that took and whom we now receive at every Mass. His life. It was the Father who “so loved The Eucharist is not merely a “symbol” the world that He gave His only begotten of Christ, as I believed in my Evangelical Son” – for us – for the Protestant years, but redemption of fallen the whole Christ mankind. And it was – body, blood, The Eucharist is not the Son who came soul, and divinity – merely a “symbol” of to die. “No one takes indeed the risen and (my life) from me,” glorified Christ. Christ, as I believed said our Lord, “but We need to tell in my Evangelical I lay it down of my the whole world of Protestant years, but own accord. I have such a Savior and the whole Christ – power to lay it down, His love for us and body, blood, soul and and I have power of His Church. Oh, to take it again; this that all of us this divinity – indeed the charge I have received Easter would commit risen and glorified from my Father” (John to living the truths Christ. 10:18) . we know without It is not so much compromise and “who” killed Christ to frequenting the as it is “what” killed Him. And the “what” is sacraments, in order that God would live sin – yours and mine. Sin nailed Him to the in us and through us and that He would cross and love raised Him from the dead. make us beacons of light and hope in the midst of our very confused and hurting I feel like the Jews on the day of world. Pentecost who the Scriptures say were All things are possible to the one who “cut to the heart” and cried, “Brethren, believes, to the one who will follow God what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) What shall with his or her whole heart no matter we do, Mother? I know it’s 2,000 or so the cost, no matter what others think, no years later, but so many still don’t know matter our failures and weaknesses. who Christ is and that He rose from the dead. Or they don’t believe it. I pray for a blessed and sacred Holy Week Zelda dear, I would say to do exactly to you all. And then a blessed and joy-filled what Peter himself said in answer to their Easter morn and week in our risen Lamb! question: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Acts 2:38, 39) The Scriptures say that those who were baptized on that Pentecost day (about 3,000 Jewish souls!) devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” There are our marching orders, dear Zelda. Orders that will lead us and those our witness reaches straight through the gates of heaven to live forever in the presence of the Mother Miriam of the Lamb of God, One who loved us and gave Himself for us. O.S.B. 19
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