Passover & Easter

In the spring long ago North European pagans used taboos to bring the gods' favor on their crops. When the green shoots showed, they celebrated the festival of Eostre. Meantime along the Mediterranean dark followers of Attis, Isis, Osiris, Mithras worshiped a god who was born of a virgin and one who died and rose from the dead.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb. . . . and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. . . . For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast. . . . And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. . . . and it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt. . . . And Pharaoh rose up in the night. . . . and he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel.

Thus, according to Exodus, were the Jews freed from their long slavery in Egypt, on a date now set at circa 1400 B. C. Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. . . . And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. . . . And He came out, and went, as He was wont, to the Mount of Olives: and His disciples also followed Him. . . . And He that was called Judas . . . drew near unto Jesus to kiss Him. . . . Then took they Him, and led Him, and brought Him into the high priest's house.

Thus, according to St. Luke, was Jesus Christ led away on the night of the pasch or Passover to be crucified and on the third day rise from the dead.

Last week, as their ancestors had done each 14th of Nisan for 33 centuries, millions of Jews throughout the world retired to their homes to partake in the Passover ceremonies symbolized by eating bitter herbs and unleavened bread, by the presence on the table of a lamb's roasted shank bone in memory of the paschal lambs whose blood had saved their fathers when the Lord smote Egypt. Unmindful were they of those Jews who 19 centuries ago had abandoned their faith to worship Jesus, whose descendants for centuries had at the time of Passover commemorated the Paschal Lamb Whose blood had saved the world.

Last week, their 40-day Lenten fast ended, millions of Christians through the world celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Vatican City, Pope Pius XI, robed in white silk threaded with pure gold was borne to the central balcony of St. Peters. With him through the huge basilica marched 13 cardinals also in white and gold; Papal guards in gorgeous uniforms of yellow, red and blue; Papal courtiers in breeches, ruffs and swords. There also marched the ghosts of fur-clad pagans, of swart priests of Attis, of Jews new-freed from Egypt and of a simple, travel-worn young Jew Whose talk of universal brotherhood would shortly bring Him to the cross.

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