What I've Thought About This Week While Running

Hello.

I usually find a topic when I run, and then muse on that issue or problem the whole time.  Sometimes it's an inner dialogue, or sometimes the whole thing takes the form of a prayer.

I've always been fascinated by the connections and symbolism that surround the crucifixion.  The more I learn about it, the more astounded I am.
Jesus was the Lamb of God, sacrificed at Passover, perfect and holy, young and meek.  His blood was smeared on the crossbeams, so that death would pass over. The lamb's bones were not broken. Then the body of the Passover lamb fed the people of God, until they would be delivered across the water to their promised inheritance. After the Passover meal, a cup of wine mixed with water was taken by tradition. The priest sacrificed the lamb at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and trumpets sounded from the temple at the same time as Jesus cried out and breathed his last, to signify that the lamb had died for the sins of the people.
This is known as the Paschal Mystery. ("Paschal" means "pertaining to Passover".)

Earlier this week, I stumbled across this video about Mary the mother of Christ, and in a similar way started to see connections and symbolism I'd never noticed. Enjoy it, and may it give you as much to ponder as it gave me.



[A couple of details only vaguely referenced in the video:
-- "Full of Grace" - In the original Greek of Luke 1:28, Gabriel said to Mary, "Rejoice, Full of Grace!  The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women."  (I get my interlinear translations here.)
A participle in the Greek vocative case, "Full of Grace" is more accurately translated as a title: "Rejoice, Full-of-Grace!"  The phrase, kecharitomene, refers to an action that occurred in the past and continues into the present. It's also translated "highly favored", which is a very similar idea in Greek, though its connotations are somewhat different today.
-- In the same passage, "Rejoice" is the word chaire, which is translated as "rejoice" generally, and "hail" when used as a greeting. This verse is where the "Hail Mary", a traditional prayer-requesting-prayer, comes from.]