Find Your Passover
Every year, my boys count the days to their favorite holiday. Step aside, Santa. The Kauffman kids are Passover fans.
As the sun sets, we spread a blanket on the floor. We fill the kids' grape juice glasses to overflowing. We open the front door and scream for Elijah! while throwing bread to the wind. It's pure childhood happiness.
It's pretty great for the grown ups, too. The whole dinner is full mystery and metaphor; symbolism is hidden in every twinkling candle and recited prayer. We celebrate on the Thursday of Holy Week. There is something wild and mysterious about observing Passover on the very night when Jesus climbed the stairs to the upper room and tied the towel around his waist.
Reading about the Last Supper is lovely. But tasting its wine on my tongue? Watching the candle flicker in the setting sun? The Word ceases to be word alone; it becomes something I can touch.
The story of redemption comes to life around the Passover table.
You Can Do It!
Want to try it?
I've created a resource for a family-friendly Passover. I've tried to make it simple. These two documents include:
A Family Haggadah (your script for the evening), and
Seder Dinner Prep Sheet (which includes a checklist of everything you need to get ready ahead of time)
Passover dinners (seders) are scripted. There are prayers and Scriptures for every part of the meal. I modified several beautiful haggadahs to be:
centered on Jesus, and
accessible to young kids
*(thanks to http://www.jewishvoice.org/assets/pdfs/08-03-01-03-haggadah.pdf and http://www.cresourcei.org/haggadah.html for amazing resources, and to Curious George for years of linguistic training).
Freedom and the Face of God
You're all set. Remember, this isn't about perfection.
Someone *always* spills a grape-juice. Haggadahs are lost. Attentiondrifts. Dancing to "This Little Light of Mine" results in broken lamps (hypothetically, of course).
What matters isn't perfection but presence. We show up. We remember. We sing and laugh and drink and (if you're like me) weep. It's messy and raw and wild and wonderful.
And in the greatest of all mysteries, God shows up too. Every salty vegetable and broken loaf turns into a holy relic. And there, on a messy blanket on the living room floor, we touch the face of God.
Â
Click below to get this free Passover resource:
