Passover
“When we are drowned in the overwhelming seas of the love of God, we find ourselves in a new and particular relation to a few of our fellows. The relation is so surprising and so rich that we despair of finding a word glorious enough and weighty enough to name it. The word Fellowship is discovered but the word is pale and thin in comparison with the rich volume and luminous bulk and warmth of the experience which it would designate. For a new kind of life-sharing and of love has arisen of which we had only dim hints before.” (Thos. Kelly, A Testament of Devotion, 1941, Harper & Bros., p. 51)
It, of course, was not coincidental that the events of Jesus’ final week took place against the backdrop of Passover. The remembrance and observation of that time when the angel of death passed over the children of Israel, still in captivity in Egypt, was the highest of holy days on the Jewish calendar. At the time of Christ, when most Jewish people still lived in or near Palestine, Passover was a time of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a time of special sacrifice in the Temple. It was a time of redemption, as the people sought forgiveness for their sins according to the ancient laws of Moses.
Additionally, Passover, was and remains, a time of reunion and coming together by families, tribes, and- indeed- the whole nation. As such, it was a special time. Even people from different tribes and families who may not have known each other otherwise, had the events of Passover and their nation’s history in common. The language, customs, foods, and stories were common possessions among all Jews and they were shared again each year at this important time of festival and religious observances.
The sacrifice offered by Jesus of himself signaled the eventual end of Temple sacrifice. The Passover meal Jesus arranged for his disciples is the same meal to which he invites us each we participate in Communion. The establishment of Christian communities, the churches, mirrored the establishment of Jewish communities and synagogues during the Dispersion of the Jews by the Babylonians centuries before. Christians must never forget or ignore the Jewish basis of our faith. “The Way”, as Paul called the Christian movement, was a way within Judaism- a reformation of Temple Judaism. That others- Greeks, Romans, Africans, and more- were attracted to this new Way was because Judaism was the methodology God had developed for a relationship with his people. Judaism was a natural, God-ordained outward manifestation of the relationship between God and humans. It “felt” right because it was right.
The fellowship of Christianity began within the fellowship of Judaism. Human politics caused a separation to begin between Jews who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah and Jews who did not. The same kind of human politics also separated, and continues to separate, followers of Jesus from other followers of Jesus. All of those separations- Jew from Messianic Jew, Messianic Jew from Gentile Christian, Gentile Christian from Gentile Christian, etc., etc., etc.- are not the fault of God or errors in God’s planning. They are purely the results of human squirming for attention from God and other humans. Just as the disciples fussed at the Last Supper about who would sit next to Jesus, so humans have continued to institutionalize the ranking of believers and churches. It’s a people-thing.
On this Saturday of Passover, there were those believers and followers of Jesus who were walking around shell-shocked in every sense of that (then) non-existent word. They had staked their lives, their fortunes, and their hopes on a Messiah who was now dead, executed as a criminal. Despite all they had heard him say about this tragedy being within the plans of God, and despite Jesus’ many hints and promises that he would return to them, the fact is, on this day, he was dead. And all evidence and common sense said that he would stay dead.
Gradually, on this day, the disciples were coming together again. All they had at this point, was each other and the memories they’d shared. No doubt, there was much talk among them about the betrayal and suicide of Judas. One by one, along with Mary of Magdela and others of the women, they met together at a house (a safe house?) south of Jerusalem. I imagine the feelings shared there. Shame and embarrassment must have been paramount. Sadness and grief- numbing grief- would have shaded all conversation and thinking. Hopelessness, disappointment, and the feelings of resignation about returning to their former lives would have begun to be expressed, too.
It would not surprise me to have seen some of the disciples drinking too much on this day. I can easily imagine Peter leaning against a tree out in the yard, particularly ashamed of his actions the day before. John would have been being attentive to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the horrors they had witnessed together the day before would have not been spoken of. Not yet. Maybe, never. There would have some food, prepared by someone, setting on a table, untouched mainly.
As the day passed, and as the sun went down and Passover was coming to an end, the oldest of the disciples, Matthew maybe, would have begun the prayers to end Sabbath. On this evening also, we can be assured that the Kaddish was prayed- the prayer for the dead. It is a prayer which has been said by all Jewish people during times of mourning since the time of King David, 500 years before Christ. A leader begins the prayer, and others join in. Notice- even though it is called a prayer for the dead, there is no mention of death within it. It is a prayer about faith. It a prayer that affirms that, at times, faith is all we have. It is also a prayer that affirms that, at times, that faith is enough.
It must be.
The Kaddish
Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity. Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for usand for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
It, of course, was not coincidental that the events of Jesus’ final week took place against the backdrop of Passover. The remembrance and observation of that time when the angel of death passed over the children of Israel, still in captivity in Egypt, was the highest of holy days on the Jewish calendar. At the time of Christ, when most Jewish people still lived in or near Palestine, Passover was a time of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a time of special sacrifice in the Temple. It was a time of redemption, as the people sought forgiveness for their sins according to the ancient laws of Moses.
Additionally, Passover, was and remains, a time of reunion and coming together by families, tribes, and- indeed- the whole nation. As such, it was a special time. Even people from different tribes and families who may not have known each other otherwise, had the events of Passover and their nation’s history in common. The language, customs, foods, and stories were common possessions among all Jews and they were shared again each year at this important time of festival and religious observances.
The sacrifice offered by Jesus of himself signaled the eventual end of Temple sacrifice. The Passover meal Jesus arranged for his disciples is the same meal to which he invites us each we participate in Communion. The establishment of Christian communities, the churches, mirrored the establishment of Jewish communities and synagogues during the Dispersion of the Jews by the Babylonians centuries before. Christians must never forget or ignore the Jewish basis of our faith. “The Way”, as Paul called the Christian movement, was a way within Judaism- a reformation of Temple Judaism. That others- Greeks, Romans, Africans, and more- were attracted to this new Way was because Judaism was the methodology God had developed for a relationship with his people. Judaism was a natural, God-ordained outward manifestation of the relationship between God and humans. It “felt” right because it was right.
The fellowship of Christianity began within the fellowship of Judaism. Human politics caused a separation to begin between Jews who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah and Jews who did not. The same kind of human politics also separated, and continues to separate, followers of Jesus from other followers of Jesus. All of those separations- Jew from Messianic Jew, Messianic Jew from Gentile Christian, Gentile Christian from Gentile Christian, etc., etc., etc.- are not the fault of God or errors in God’s planning. They are purely the results of human squirming for attention from God and other humans. Just as the disciples fussed at the Last Supper about who would sit next to Jesus, so humans have continued to institutionalize the ranking of believers and churches. It’s a people-thing.
On this Saturday of Passover, there were those believers and followers of Jesus who were walking around shell-shocked in every sense of that (then) non-existent word. They had staked their lives, their fortunes, and their hopes on a Messiah who was now dead, executed as a criminal. Despite all they had heard him say about this tragedy being within the plans of God, and despite Jesus’ many hints and promises that he would return to them, the fact is, on this day, he was dead. And all evidence and common sense said that he would stay dead.
Gradually, on this day, the disciples were coming together again. All they had at this point, was each other and the memories they’d shared. No doubt, there was much talk among them about the betrayal and suicide of Judas. One by one, along with Mary of Magdela and others of the women, they met together at a house (a safe house?) south of Jerusalem. I imagine the feelings shared there. Shame and embarrassment must have been paramount. Sadness and grief- numbing grief- would have shaded all conversation and thinking. Hopelessness, disappointment, and the feelings of resignation about returning to their former lives would have begun to be expressed, too.
It would not surprise me to have seen some of the disciples drinking too much on this day. I can easily imagine Peter leaning against a tree out in the yard, particularly ashamed of his actions the day before. John would have been being attentive to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the horrors they had witnessed together the day before would have not been spoken of. Not yet. Maybe, never. There would have some food, prepared by someone, setting on a table, untouched mainly.
As the day passed, and as the sun went down and Passover was coming to an end, the oldest of the disciples, Matthew maybe, would have begun the prayers to end Sabbath. On this evening also, we can be assured that the Kaddish was prayed- the prayer for the dead. It is a prayer which has been said by all Jewish people during times of mourning since the time of King David, 500 years before Christ. A leader begins the prayer, and others join in. Notice- even though it is called a prayer for the dead, there is no mention of death within it. It is a prayer about faith. It a prayer that affirms that, at times, faith is all we have. It is also a prayer that affirms that, at times, that faith is enough.
It must be.
The Kaddish
Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity. Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for usand for all Israel; and say, Amen.
He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
posted by D.Barry Weber at 10:54 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home