This picture of Jesus, Self-isolating with the Disciples "Zooming" in, has been making the rounds. It's clever, and funny, but it's also so sad. This Passover Seder, which Christians call "The Last Supper", became the foundation for the Mass and is a huge deal for Christians, as Passover is a huge deal for Jews. Jesus, as almost everyone knows, was a Jew. He followed the laws of Moses. He remembered with his friends the liberation of the Jewish people who fled the land of the Pharaoh after their years of harsh treatment. He celebrated their relationship with God.
Christians believe His own relationship with God was a bit more complicated, and we remember all this week what followed; the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, the "trial" before Pontius Pilate, the gory crucifixion on Good Friday and the power and joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Our ancestors (Jewish and Christian) celebrated the coming of Spring, the coming of hope, and, in the case of Christians, the coming of the Messiah.
We are called upon this year to celebrate in a very different way. Chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts, new clothes for services, and dinner with the whole gathered family are not going to happen.
Neither are Seder plates, with bitter herbs, salt water, and lamb shanks. We are trying to save our own lives and the lives of others by staying apart, by facing the loneliness and the anxiety and scariest of all, ourselves. While the First Responders, the grocery clerks, the postal carriers, the gas station attendants, and so many others risk their safety to provide healing and sustenance, many of us are "stranded" at home (if we're lucky enough to have one) with more time on our hands than we have had since we were children on summer vacation. We have an awful lot of time to think.
I'm missing the ability to go to church in person. Watching Mass on my computer depresses me in ways even I don't understand. I'm also missing the chance to sing "Dayenu" at my friends' seder, and to read from the Haggadah. I'm missing connecting with everyone. I am trying very hard to look at this quiet time as an opportunity to reflect on what and who we are. I refuse to think about the stock market or the fact that my husband has been laid off. I am avoiding political divisions and concentrating on the humanity we share. We are all here on Earth for such a short time. And while we are here we are citizens of "The Big Blue Marble". The things that we have in common far outnumber the things that divide us. Then there's my relationship with God. Where do I encounter Her/Him in my life? How much time do I spend connecting there?
This is a scary and lonely time for all of us. It can also be a time for growth and compassion, understanding and stretching beyond our comfort zones. It can be a great gift if we open our hearts and our minds to it. Chag Pesach sameach, and a Blessed Easter. Next year, together!
Christians believe His own relationship with God was a bit more complicated, and we remember all this week what followed; the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, the "trial" before Pontius Pilate, the gory crucifixion on Good Friday and the power and joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Our ancestors (Jewish and Christian) celebrated the coming of Spring, the coming of hope, and, in the case of Christians, the coming of the Messiah.
We are called upon this year to celebrate in a very different way. Chocolate bunnies and Easter egg hunts, new clothes for services, and dinner with the whole gathered family are not going to happen.
Neither are Seder plates, with bitter herbs, salt water, and lamb shanks. We are trying to save our own lives and the lives of others by staying apart, by facing the loneliness and the anxiety and scariest of all, ourselves. While the First Responders, the grocery clerks, the postal carriers, the gas station attendants, and so many others risk their safety to provide healing and sustenance, many of us are "stranded" at home (if we're lucky enough to have one) with more time on our hands than we have had since we were children on summer vacation. We have an awful lot of time to think.
I'm missing the ability to go to church in person. Watching Mass on my computer depresses me in ways even I don't understand. I'm also missing the chance to sing "Dayenu" at my friends' seder, and to read from the Haggadah. I'm missing connecting with everyone. I am trying very hard to look at this quiet time as an opportunity to reflect on what and who we are. I refuse to think about the stock market or the fact that my husband has been laid off. I am avoiding political divisions and concentrating on the humanity we share. We are all here on Earth for such a short time. And while we are here we are citizens of "The Big Blue Marble". The things that we have in common far outnumber the things that divide us. Then there's my relationship with God. Where do I encounter Her/Him in my life? How much time do I spend connecting there?
This is a scary and lonely time for all of us. It can also be a time for growth and compassion, understanding and stretching beyond our comfort zones. It can be a great gift if we open our hearts and our minds to it. Chag Pesach sameach, and a Blessed Easter. Next year, together!
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