Tomorrow night we will have a Seder meal at our church. This has become one of my favorite parts of Holy Week, as the community comes together to have a meal and celebrate God’s generous acts of deliverance. We laugh, we pray, we sing, but most of all, we are together. This is our time to remember the wondrous love of God.
One of the many things that hold my attention is the meticulous planning that occurs to prepare the meal. Certain herbs must be mixed with others, and the Seder plate must contain certain things. Each table carefully set so that we may recall how the stories of the ancient people became our stories. How they were set free from captivity is not so far removed from how we are released from the prison of despair.
It is very appropriate that we honor our God with this Passover meal during this Holy Week. It is sacred and maintains the traditions that were first observed by the ancients. This is the gift of our amazing Creator, who continues to ransom us from whatever forms of oppression in which we find ourselves. We take in this food as people who are free.
Today in Jerusalem, I am grateful that we can take a few minutes to praise our God, and share the gift of fellowship with our fellow brothers and sisters. Let us remember the joy that we share this evening so that the brutality of the coming days will not overwhelm us and return us to captivity. We eat the bread and drink from the cup in communion with one another, promising that we will not leave each other alone. Praise be to God, who gives us the final victory through His Son.
From a Pastor's Point of View 