Holy Week: He Has Risen!

Today I attended the Vespers and Benediction services at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. The music was beautiful; it was a wonderful way to celebrate this glorious day of resurrection. One of the songs they sang, which words were particularly powerful, was about the Savior as the great Passover Lamb:

The Lamb’s high banquet called to share,
Arrayed in garments white and fair,
The Red Sea past, we fain would sing
To Jesus our triumphant King.

Protected in the Paschal night
From the destroying angel’s might,
In triumph went the ransomed free
From Pharaoh’s cruel tyranny.

Now Christ our Passover is slain,
The Lamb of God without a stain;
His flesh, the true unleavened Bread,
Is freely offered in our stead.

O all sufficient Sacrifice,
Beneath Thee hell defeated lies;
Thy captive people are set free,
And crowns of life restored by Thee.

All praise be Thine, O risen Lord,
From death to endless life restored;
All praise to God the Father be
And Holy Ghost eternally. Amen.

Truly, as the children of Israel were freed from Pharaoh's hand by the blood of the lamb, we likewise are freed from Satan's grasp by the blood of the Lamb of God. Glory be to the Father, who gave His only begotten Son, that we might live eternally with Him again. How grateful I am for this day of remembrance; this day of resurrection; this day of joy; this day of rejoicing. The sadness and darkness of Black Saturday is past, Resurrection Sunday has come!

Holy Week: Passover

In preparation for Passover (which actually started today), with the help of a friend, we created this video about the Last Supper and the Passover. Passover is one of my most favorite holidays of the entire year and I invite you to celebrate it this week during Holy Week.

Passover is the oldest festival still celebrated today, and has rich symbolism all throughout the feast. It celebrates the redemption of Israel from Egypt 3500 years ago by the death of all the first born of Egypt. Israel had been captive for 300 years and then on this night they were freed. It is not by chance that the Savior chose to use this holiday to usher is his own redemption. The symbolism is beautiful, and each time I celebrate the feast, my appreciation for the Savior grows.

Again, I invite you to host your own Passover during this Holy Week (Thursday is the traditional day of the Last Supper, if you would like to celebrate it then). To help we have created a Hagaddah (kind of like the manual to a Passover dinner) and several other links that might help. You can find them on the Passover Tab of my blog.

I know that the Savior did come into the world to redeem his people, and that on that celebratory night so long ago, he brought true redemption and power. The Lamb of God truly was slain that we might be freed!

His Sacred Name

A beautiful video about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.