Seder Supper

Tonight, Thursday, we at church are hosting a Seder meal in honor of the Passover celerbation. We will be following the Haggadah, a 30 century ceremony that remembers the deliverance from Egypt of the Israelite captives. Following the meal, we have an addendum to include and explain why the Seder is important for Christians.

The meal itself represents the struggle the Israelites faced in captivity. Each food has a different representation. The plate at the left is placed on the Seder table. It's images involk the memories that the Israelites to this day, have not forgotten.

It is interesting that so few Christians celebrate the Seder or even Passover since Jesus is the fulfillment of the Messianic expectation that the Seder calls for. And Jesus, who gathered his disciples during the feast of Passover, and after that supper, he took some bread and broke it. After giving thanks he gave it to them and said, "This is my body broken for you, do this to remember me."

During the Seder, there is bread broken (the Matzot) and there is even the drinking of the fruit of the vine to remember the joy that God brought the Israelites. Toward the end of the service, there is a chalice with more wine in it. That chalice is called Elijah's cup and lifting it up is meant to celebrate the hope that when Elijah returns, he'll bring the Messiah with him (which is why the people had asked if John the Baptist was Elijah).

To me, the Seder represents God's divine circle; one that when observed can surely be a blessing to all who participate in it as well as the Easter celebration.