Deuteronomy 16:1-6. Some of God's instructions regarding the establishment and proper observance of Passover. God has told Moses, and Moses is telling the people, that they must observe Passover every year in the month and at the time they were brought out of Egypt. They are to offer the sacrifice from the flock or herd in the place that God chooses (and nowhere else - they are not to offer in their towns, but only where God tells them). They are only to eat unleavened bread with it for seven days, and no leaven shall be kept in their territory for those days. Unleavened bread is "the bread of affliction," and will help them remember "all the days of your life" that they were rescued from the land of Egypt by obeying God in "hurried flight."

The strict rules about Passover remind me somewhat of my thoughts in The Joy of Holy Days of Obligation. It would be easy for the Jews, who at this point have just left Egypt, to think "Of course we will never forget this incredible rescue and salvation by our God!", but God knows that with enough time, and comfort, they will. So he gives them these rules so that every year, for all of their lives, and for all future generations, they will remember. And it must be done where he tells them - that is, in a sacred place, not just from the comfort of their homes and towns. That is, they have to offer some small sacrifice in this remembrance, as well.

This is such an obvious precursor to the Mass. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for us, he is the "Lamb of God" - the Passover sacrifice for all of humanity. He created the Eucharist, using the unleavened "bread of affliction" to become his very body, to feed us and nourish us through this journey of life on Earth. In order that we never forget the salvation that he bought for us, he told us at his Last Supper to do the same thing that Moses is telling the Jews to do here - participate in the observance of the sacrifice (the Mass) by eating of the sacrificial meal, including the unleavened bread (his body - our food for the journey).

God knows us so well! He knows that the Jews will become comfortable in all of the blessings that he is going to bestow on them, and easily forget the misery of slavery and the miraculous redemption he bought for them. Once forgotten in good times, future generations would not know of it to turn to it back to their God in bad times, which also will come. So God gave them rules - very detailed instructions on how they were to observe Passover every year. Jesus knew the same thing about us, and so he did the same thing - the Holy Spirit has guided the Church in giving us rules for our observance of Jesus' sacrifice - we are to go to Mass every week, participate in the Eucharist fully, with "clean hands" (that is, free of mortal sin). We are to do this in the church, not in the comfort of our homes (so no more Mass on TV!).

God so clearly set up Passover as a precursor to the Eucharist, and the reasons and meanings are the same. He wants us always to remember him and his everlasting love, and always turn back to him.