Returning the Meaning to Easter

Before it gets too far away from the season, I want to share our passion for celebrating Passover. There is such a richness to becoming part of a service that has been observed for thousands of years, and a meal that Jesus Himself sat down to eat. It has normally been an elaborate part of early spring for us. We have low tables we set up, long tablecloths to iron, hand stamping placecards with the kids, hosting 10 guests, and planning a meal and driving all over our scarcely Jewish area to gather what is needed. But this year with too many major things going on, we decided to observe a simple dinner with just our children on Resurrection Sunday. We spend the week with mid-day and evening readings of Jesus' last week and this is a good culmination, tying in His work of redemption for us, as also characterized in the rescue of God's people through Moses in the Exodus.

There are several things I appreciate about this evening and its part in our lives. Like my role as a woman lighting the Passover candles, giving light to the table, just as Jesus was born of a woman, giving light to the world. The toughness we learned last year of Why the youngest is chosen to answer the 4 questions when it would be easier to chose the oldest. So they are not left out of being taught! This exercise is such a good reminder.
And the humbling ritual of my husband washing our feet as Jesus did for His disciples. It's awkward and freezing and hard not to giggle, and we come to the table with relatively clean feet, but sobering to think of Jesus stooped to wash the dust of this world off the feet of His closest friends that did not understand why and did not fully appreciate what He was doing.

I appreciate the small moments like my 7 year old putting on a wrinkled white button up shirt and tucking it in, to look "special" for the occasion. The joy in hearing him read the responses for the first time since he has learned this year to read. Their excitement for the chocolate coins (which I bought instead of making this year, cutting corners everywhere I could!) given in exchange for the hidden matzah. And ending the evening on the floor as we took requests for hymns and my 3 year old chose the "Grow, grow, grow" song.
It wasn't big or perfect or the best thing I have ever organized but it was special for us. And its meaning and significance has easily replaced other distracting traditions of this season. I pray it will be something my children will grow to understand and always remember.


"Truly, we can say Hallelujah for the great redemption which God has wrought on our behalf."
We lift the cup of Praise because He has made us His people.