RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
OF ADULTS
The Paschal Mystery
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This session will cover the Paschal Mystery (Christ's crucifixion, death and resurrection). Here is a copy of this week's handout: and below is a link to the first video (about 11 minutes) from Symbolon:
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A fundamental presentation of the Paschal Mystery (about 2 minutes) can be found here:
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While something more detailed (about 7 minutes) can be found here:
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This last video is a commentary by Bishop Robert Barron on why Christ needed to die in such a brutal way (about 6 minutes). I think you will find it quite interesting.
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Terms to Know
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Paschal Mystery - The Paschal Mystery is the Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus that brought about our Salvation. We participate in and celebrate this mystery at every Eucharist. Pasch is another name for Passover, the Jewish feast that recalls God’s saving action at the beginning of the Exodus. A lamb was sacrificed and its blood marking the doorways resulted in death “passing over” the Jewish houses. The lamb was then eaten. This Pasch foreshadowed the Christian Paschal Mystery when the sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, saved the world from eternal death. Jesus’ death, when he passed over from this life to the Father, occurred at the time of the Jewish Passover. We celebrate the Paschal Mystery during the Easter Triduum.
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Resurrection of Jesus - The Resurrection is the mystery of Jesus rising from the dead three days after his death on the cross. It is his victory over death and the completion of our redemption. The Church has always believed in the Resurrection as a chief doctrine. The Gospels testify to it, although their accounts differ, and Saint Peter preached it. The risen Jesus has a glorified body, which is not bound by time or space. He appeared to many of his disciples. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we can believe his words that we too may someday enjoy eternal life. We celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter.
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