37. When describing the task of preaching, Pope Francis teaches: "The heart of its message will always be the same: the God who revealed his immense love in the crucified and risen Christ" (EG 11). The purpose of this section of the Homiletic Directory is to provide concrete examples and suggestions to help the homilist put into practice the principles presented in this document by considering the biblical readings provided in the liturgy through the lens of the Paschal Mystery of the crucified and risen Christ. These are not sample homilies, but sketches that propose ways of approaching particular themes and texts throughout the course of the liturgical year. The

Introduction of the Lectionary provides brief descriptions of the choice of readings "to assist pastors of souls to understand the structure of the Order of Readings, so that their use of it will become more perceptive and the Order of Readings a source of good for Christ's faithful" (OLM 92). These will be cited. In all that is proposed concerning any of the texts of Scripture, it should always be borne in mind that "The reading of the Gospel is the high point of the liturgy of the word. For this the other readings, in their established sequence from the Old to the New Testament, prepare the assembly" (OLM 13).

38. The starting point of the presentation here is the Lectionary of the Paschal Triduum, for this is the center of the liturgical year, and some of the most important passages from both Testaments are proclaimed during the course of these most holy days. This is followed by reflections on the Easter Season and Pentecost. Next, the readings of the Sundays of Lent will be considered. Further examples are taken from the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle. This plan of proceeding follows what Pope Benedict XVI has called "the sage pedagogy of the Church, which proclaims and listens to sacred Scripture following the rhythm of the liturgical year." And he continues, "At the center of everything the Paschal Mystery shines forth, and around it radiate all the mysteries of Christ and the history of salvation which become sacramentally present ... " (VD 52). So, in what is offered here, no attempt is made to exhaust all that could be said about a given celebration or to move in detail through the whole liturgical year. Rather, in the light of the centrality of the Paschal Mystery, indications are offered on how particular texts could be handled within a given homily. The pattern suggested by these examples can be adapted for the Sundays in Ordinary Time and other occasions. The pattern would be valid, and so useful, also for those other rites of the Catholic Church that use a different Lectionary from the Roman rite.

I. THE PASCHAL TRIDUUM AND THE FIFTY DAYSA. The Old Testament Reading on Holy Thursday

39. "On Holy Thursday at the evening Mass the remembrance of the meal preceding the Exodus casts its own special light because of the Christ's example in washing the feet of his disciples and Paul's account of the institution of the Christian Passover in the Eucharist" (OLM 99). The Paschal Triduum begins with the Evening Mass, where the liturgy remembers the Lord's institution of the Eucharist. Jesus entered into his Passion by celebrating the meal prescribed in the first reading: its every word and image point to what Christ himself pointed to at table, his life-giving death. The words from the Book of Exodus (Ex 12:1-8, 11-14) find their definitive meaning in Jesus' paschal meal, the same meal we are celebrating now.

40. "Every family shall join the nearest household in procuring a lamb." We are many households come together in one place, and we have procured a lamb. "The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish." Our unblemished lamb is no less than Jesus himself, the Lamb of God. "With the whole assembly of Israel present, the lamb shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight." As we hear those words, we grasp that we are the whole assembly of the new Israel, gathered in the evening twilight; Jesus lets himself be slaughtered as he hands over his body and blood for us. "They shall apply the lamb's blood to the doorposts and lintels ... and that same night eat its roasted flesh." We shall fulfill these prescriptions as we take the blood of Jesus, applying it to our lips and eat the flesh of the Lamb in the consecrated bread.

41. We are told to eat this meal "with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, like those who are in flight." This is a description of our Christian life in the world. The girt loins suggest readiness to flee, but also evoke the scene of the mandatum that is described in tonight's Gospel and takes place after the homily: we are called to be of service to the world, but as those who are sojourning, whose true home is not here. It is at this point in the reading, when we are told

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