Some Thoughts at Passover

Passover (Pesach, Pesah) begins this evening at sundown.  For the Jewish people, it is a celebration that remembers their liberation from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 3-12).  The image above of unleavened bread (matzah or matzoh) and wine in a silver chalice, though, undoubtedly looks familiar to Christians...and so it should, for the Seder meal -- served on the first two nights of Passover -- was the last celebrated by Jesus with his disciples, the meal in which He equated His body with the bread and His blood with the wine.

Passover is a celebration of liberation from slavery...literally, for the Jewish people...and also for Christians.  Redemption.  Freedom.

Jesus, the Christ, is our Paschal Lamb...the one whose blood was shed to cleanse us all from sin.  His victory for us was over our slavery to sin.  Redemption. Freedom.

So...some blessings for you for Passover...for our redemption...for our freedom from sin, bought for us by our Lord.  You might consider these prayers before your meal this evening.

First, include a candle or two on the table.  Before lighting the candle(s), you might say...

Today we gather to thank God for all the goodness in our lives, for the beauty of nature, for the love we feel for one another, for the Passover tradition we share.  May our celebration increase our awareness of your ongoing gifts, O God.*

And after lighting the candle(s) but before dining, you might lift a glass of wine (or your favourite beverage) and say...

We praise God with this symbol of fullness, and give thanks for the opportunities we have to share life's blessings.*

Thanks be to God!  Hallelujah!

*adapted from Seasons for Celebration: A Contemporary Guide to the Joys, Practices and Traditions of the Jewish Holidays - Rabbi Karen L. Fox and Phyllis Zimbler Miller, Perigee Books, The Putnam Publishing Group, New York, N.Y., 1992.