We began the days of Easter by sharing in Seder or Passover.
We are not Jewish in our faith or practice but we share the same need for the
Messiah, the Lamb. This was our first Seder and so there was a great deal of
referring to Messianic Seder within a google search as we prepared. What bitter
herb do we need? Don’t forget to boil an egg! Dan had to work so the girls and
I scurried around tidying the house and I pictured so many other homes through
the ages working with the same sense of anticipation.
In a Jewish home, all
yeast/leaven would removed from the home as a symbol of the soul searching and
subsequent ridding of any wrong in ones own life. As I cleaned and prepared, I
was drawn into reflection of my own life, my own imperfections represented by
the bitter root on the Seder plate. It’s been a challenging week of parenting
and even on that day, the struggle continued, pointing out my inability to be
everything that my daughters needed. Even as I turned back to my printout to
remind me of what next for Seder, it struck me that if this life of faith were
based on my performance and my ability to get it right, I am indeed hopeless.
And that is why as we tasted the bitterness of the herbs, drank from the cup
and broke the bread, we embrace the fulfillment of the Passover through Jesus
the Messiah.
Jesus who, on that last night with his disciples while knowing
what came next, chose to serve and chose to love. He chose, because he is Good,
to finish what he began. And he finished by giving his life. From Palm Sunday
to Seder to Good Friday, we wait for the dawn of Risen Life.
