Saturday, April 23, 2005
Happy Pesach
Tonight begins one of the most important periods of the Jewish year, that being Passover. Even the most unobservant of Jews take time tonight or at some point in the next eight days to commemorate their liberation from Egypt.
And yet Christians will barely take notice, and I must wonder why. This is something that has bothered me for some time. While we Christians have obviously separated ourselves from the Jewish community, we still share many of the same beliefs, notably in a benevolent and single God. The God of Isreael is also the God of Christians. We still read the Old Testament, and even if we do not strictly adhere to all its prescripts as do Orthodox Jews, the Torah is a fundamental part of our faith. Abraham, Jacob, Moses and all of the prominent figures of the Hebrew Scriptures remain individuals that we revere to one degree or another.
The Passover story is the most fundamentally important biblical story, in my opinion. From the liberation of the Hebrew slaves, to the crossing of the Red Sea, to the gift of the Ten Commandments and the covenant between God and his chosen people, the groundworks of the Judeo-Christian tradition are laid down in the Passover account and the events that follow. As such, it should remain for Christians a fairly important event in our history.
And yet we barely take notice. I do not necessarily expect Christians to celebrate this time of year in the same manner or with the same reverence as Jews, but it seems we should do more to acknowledge what is an a cornerstone of the narrative that runs all the way to the time of Jesus. It was a Passover cedar, after all, that Jesus and his apostles were celebrating on the night he was betrayed. Perhaps Holy Thursday stands in as a commemoration of sorts, but that doesn't really count, as that day is a day of rememberance of Christ's last supper and not of the flight from Egypt.
Besides, what Christian - or any person for that matter - would want to pass up a celebration which actually requires you to drink four glasses of wine.
Well, these are some scattered thoughts that I thought I would share. As for my Jewish friends and readers, have a Happy Pesach.
And yet Christians will barely take notice, and I must wonder why. This is something that has bothered me for some time. While we Christians have obviously separated ourselves from the Jewish community, we still share many of the same beliefs, notably in a benevolent and single God. The God of Isreael is also the God of Christians. We still read the Old Testament, and even if we do not strictly adhere to all its prescripts as do Orthodox Jews, the Torah is a fundamental part of our faith. Abraham, Jacob, Moses and all of the prominent figures of the Hebrew Scriptures remain individuals that we revere to one degree or another.
The Passover story is the most fundamentally important biblical story, in my opinion. From the liberation of the Hebrew slaves, to the crossing of the Red Sea, to the gift of the Ten Commandments and the covenant between God and his chosen people, the groundworks of the Judeo-Christian tradition are laid down in the Passover account and the events that follow. As such, it should remain for Christians a fairly important event in our history.
And yet we barely take notice. I do not necessarily expect Christians to celebrate this time of year in the same manner or with the same reverence as Jews, but it seems we should do more to acknowledge what is an a cornerstone of the narrative that runs all the way to the time of Jesus. It was a Passover cedar, after all, that Jesus and his apostles were celebrating on the night he was betrayed. Perhaps Holy Thursday stands in as a commemoration of sorts, but that doesn't really count, as that day is a day of rememberance of Christ's last supper and not of the flight from Egypt.
Besides, what Christian - or any person for that matter - would want to pass up a celebration which actually requires you to drink four glasses of wine.
Well, these are some scattered thoughts that I thought I would share. As for my Jewish friends and readers, have a Happy Pesach.
# posted by Paul Zummo : 11:47 AM
