EasterPassover

THE SPIRIT OF PASSOVER AND EASTER:

TWO CELEBRATIONS LINKED IN ONE UNIVERSE

The holy days of Easter have always been the most important part of what being a Christian means to me. And, of course, the integral core of this inspiration for me is Jesus. As a child, I remember sitting in church on Easter Sunday and being exquisitely aware of my intimate integration into the spiritual energy of the celebration of Christ's resurrection, and being transfixed by the notion of re-birth and eternal life. As I matured into adulthood and through much inquisitive learning, I began to understand that the religion of Christianity was, in the fullness of time, a comparatively new one. I knew that Jesus was born and died a Jew, yet I was never taught what that actually meant. The fact that Christianity is actually an offshoot of Judaism is a fact lost by many. Jesus did not organize a religion called "Christianity." His followers did. It is not surprising, therefore, that there is much about Passover that seems familiar to us as Christians. It is in our cellular memory, and we celebrate the same ideal whether the origin comes from an ancient source or a new one. The intent of our worship is identical in both religions. We remember our history and the lessons that came from it. And, in so doing, we are motivated to gain inspiration, renewed energy and a sense of doing good in the passage of our lives going forward.

Is it so hard to comprehend, therefore, that all of us carry in our souls an ancient knowledge that betrays all worldly teachings? If we carry our beliefs into adulthood from what we learned as children, I believe that most of us begin to take our religious affiliations for granted. We forget to ask the important questions about what it is that we really do believe. Because we learn as innocents, we are taught to trust what we are being taught by our elders implicitly. Therefore, the words we hear from those in charge of our education are considered sacrosanct. We know that they are old and full of wisdom, are they not?

To the chagrin of both my parents, I was not one of those children. It is a mixed blessing to be born with an inquiring spirit, a thirst for knowledge, and a unique instinct for what rings "true." I could never just "accept" what was told to me. I guess I learned early to trust my own soul and to question anything that did not quite "feel" right. Many times, I caused my tutors great anxiety because I could not understand what they were telling me, and I realize now why I could not understand.

Often I ask myself, how can I remain a member of the Christian faith when what I really feel is that all faiths converge into the one Source. Religious dogma is intended to subdue, to control and to draw in, while all I wanted was to be free, to be who I knew I was, and to expand that original knowledge. Religious dogma was created by human beings, and therefore, one could not cross any spiritual lines that did not speak the so-called truth of that dogma. I do believe, however, that special people in history have been sent inspirations by God. But those inspirations must be interpreted because we all are, after all, human. The importance of interpreting them to fit what is best for ourselves is what is significant. I believe that true spirituality does not have any lines to cross. Spirituality is all One. It comes from the One Source. Regardless of the teachings of any religion, spirituality is an ideal that all people share, and it transcends all forms of teaching. It is original knowledge and, therefore, cannot be taught. It is instinct, born of a free spirit - an innocent, whose journey is just beginning. Spirituality encompasses Original Thought. And all of us are born with it, whether we choose to recognize it or not.

I suppose the answer to my own question of why I align myself with Christianity is, as I said before, that I relate to the special being of the one called Jesus. Stories of His life, death and resurrection have inspired me for as long as I can remember. His teachings are "truth" to me, so that regardless of whether or not I consider myself a Christian, I certainly am a follower of Jesus' teachings. I believe in life after death, I believe in miracles, and I believe in treating my fellow human beings with respect and love. And I do believe that Jesus died so that he might be an example to all humankind as a messenger of God, as many others have done before Him and, I believe, even after Him.

Easter, in conjunction with Passover, therefore, is the season which harmonizes with the core of my soul. It is both pain and ecstasy - the pain of Christ's death and the ecstasy of His resurrection. Every year since their passing, I feel the pain of the loss of both my parents - my mother in the month of February and my father in March. This time of the year has become my Lenten season. But through Christ's resurrection, God has shown me that their lives are eternal, and I commune with them, in spirit, all year, but especially on Easter Sunday, where I celebrate their spiritual freedom through the sacrament given to us of this holiest of Holy days. It is as personal to me as it can be, but it serves as a reminder that nothing is lost to those who believe this miracle is possible. It is the time of year that resonates with me because it brings me the opportunity for reflection, to feel the pain of loss in many areas of my life and in the life of my loved ones, and the ability to emerge with a sense of renewal and joy in the knowledge that all things must die or change in order to be re-born again. One need only to witness spring in full bloom and to acknowledge that just a few short weeks before, the land was barren, showing no signs of life. Was it through Divine Plan that the holy days of Easter and Passover fall at the height of new birth? I believe so. It is significant. It is also symbolic.

Passover celebrates the struggle and eventual freedom of the Jews (Israelites) of their enslavement from the King of Egypt (Pharaoh). Pesach, meaning "passing over" or "protection" in Hebrew, originated from a particular event in Jewish history. It is said that God gave instructions to Moses to protect all first-born Jews from death by marking their homes with lamb's blood before He cast his infliction upon Pharaoh and his people. The Jews did as they were told to do by Moses. As a result, the followers of Pharaoh, who were the captors of the Israelites, lost all their first-born children because they were not protected by the mark of the lamb's blood. History tells us that God "passed over" the houses of Israel and their first-born were saved. It was not until after the end of the plagues (ten of them) that inflicted the land, that the Pharaoh finally delivered the Israelites from slavery. But Pharaoh's army followed the Israelites in their flight from Egypt. It took the parting of the Red Sea to deliver them finally to true freedom. Whether or not I believe in a vengeful God is insignificant. Who am I to say? I was not there. But, I can say that I prefer to believe that rather than killing the first-born Egyptians, God, through miraculous means, actually saved the Israelite first-borns from whatever was inflicting the land at the time. I do believe that Man is capable of vengeance, however, and there is no doubt that there was great suppression of a People. It is a history wrought with fear, intimidation and enslavement. It is also a history of bravery, determination and a strong faith.

The difference between Passover and Easter is that the tradition of Passover commemorates the tribulations of the tribes of Israel and Easter commemorates the tribulations of one man from that tribe. The reason we celebrate each of those triumphs can easily be paralleled. Jews celebrate Passover for their freedom through God's assistance in the flight from Egypt (Exodus) and the miracles they experienced throughout that time. Christians celebrate Easter for the freedom from their sins (Christ's crucifixion), the knowledge they gained that life is eternal (Christ's Resurrection), and that miracles are not only possible, but continue even 2,002 years later.

The Seder is the most important event at Passover, and takes place the first two nights of this eight-day holiday. This year, Passover will begin at sundown on March 27th. Each family all over the world will gather with their loved ones and participate in long-held traditions and customs. One such custom is the serving of three pieces of matzoh, which are placed in a cloth in the middle of the Seder table, along with a special plate containing five foods that remind them of their struggle for freedom. The tradition of matzoh at Passover comes as a reminder that the Israelites left their homes so abruptly after the Pharaoh finally released them, that they did not have time to bake bread to take with them. Instead, they threw whatever raw dough they had into their sacks and as they fled through the desert, they baked their dough in the hot sun, turning it into hard crackers (matzohs). The other foods served at Passover are: Haroseth (Passover sweets containing a combination of ingredients such as walnuts, wine, cinnamon, dates and apples), parsley dipped in salt water, roasted egg, a shank bone and bitter herbs. Haroseth symbolizes the mortar the Jewish slaves used to build walls for the Pharaoh. The parsley is dipped into salt water as a reminder of the tears of the Jewish slaves. The shank bone is symbolic of the sacrificial lamb, and the herbs reflect the bitter affliction they all suffered. Four glasses of wine are poured which represent the four stages of the Exodus: Freedom, Deliverance, Redemption and Release. A fifth glass is then poured and placed on the Seder table. This is an offering to the Prophet Elijah, and a door is opened to invite him into the circle. During the evening, the Haggadah, the Book of Exodus, is read and the evening is celebrated through stories, songs and prayers. What a wonderful way to commune with loved ones and remember your heritage. This is a very spiritual and holy time for Jews everywhere and I join them in their celebration of freedom.

Every year, the Easter period contains three important days: Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Resurrection Day, otherwise known as Easter Sunday or Easter Day. The churches of the West observe Easter Day on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox. Therefore, it falls at different times every year and can arrive as early as March 22nd or as late as April 25th. Christian churches in the East which are situated closer to the birthplace of the new religion and are still steeped in the old traditions, observe Easter according to the date of Passover. To me, this aligns more closely to the events of Christ's life. I never could understand the changing of holidays to suit Mankind in the opposition of true historical events. Why do we do that? (Another chapter.)

Easter traditionally falls at the end of the Lenten season, which lasts for forty-six days beginning on Ash Wednesday. Lent itself, though, is actually forty days long as the six Sundays in this period are not included. Sundays are considered a commemoration of Easter Sunday and have always been excluded from the Lenten fast. The Lenten season is a time of penitence in preparation for the highest festival of the church year, and symbolizes the forty days and forty nights mentioned in the Bible, that Jesus spent alone in the desert to face His demons. Holy Week, the last week of Lent begins with Palm Sunday. This takes it name from the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palms at his feet. During this last week of Lent, Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday in England) commemorates the day that Christ held the Last Supper with his Disciples, which was actually the first night of Passover that year and the disciples probably thought they were simply celebrating the Seder. It was only on the following day (Good Friday) that they (with the exception of Judas) realized it was their Last Supper with Christ. And so, we observe Good Friday during Holy Week in commemoration of the Crucifixion.

The Sunday following Good Friday is the day that Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and is one of the holiest days of the year. The Easter message is one of hope and victory over death, for it recalls that Christ rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter symbolizes the love of God and the promise that the souls of humankind are immortal.

When I was a girl, it was tradition in England for families to attend church on Easter Sunday morning. In honor of this solemn occasion, mothers dressed their daughters in newly-purchased outfits consisting of pastel-colored, lace-trimmed dresses, pretty white shoes and ankle socks, and beautiful hats made of straw, decorated with satin and flowers to match the color of their dresses. The boys wore their finest suits, and depending upon how old they were, their trousers were either knee (young boys) or ankle length (adolescent boys). Their skin would be polished to a shine and not a hair moved on their heads. The mothers and fathers dressed as finely as their children did, and everyone would either walk to church or drive if their church was too far to walk without getting disheveled in the process. In the Church of England (similar to Episcopalian) in which I was baptized, if you had been confirmed (which means that you had studied and "confirmed" the vows, as you reached the age of puberty, that your Godparents had made on your behalf when you were baptized - similar to the coming-of-age ceremony of a Bar or Bas Mitzvah but with less celebration), you were allowed the privilege of taking Communion during the service. This is the tradition of sipping from the goblet of wine and eating a piece of bread, symbolizing the Last Supper and the tasting of the blood and body of Christ in remembrance of why He died for us. It was always distasteful to me, as a child, to think that I was drinking the blood of Jesus and eating a part of his body. But, once I learned more about the Jewish faith and Passover, I preferred to think of taking Communion as a way of connecting to Christ in a more ethereal way; to feel connected to Him in a spiritual sense, as though I attended that last Seder with him and that what I am actually doing is tasting the wine and matzoh of those many years ago and celebrating freedom for all people - both Christians and Jews - in the present. Communion always renews me. It brings me back to my center again. And I am filled with the energy and the love of the spirit of Christ - the embodiment of all He taught.

After the Easter Sunday service in England, families return to their homes to a veritable feast, mostly of roast lamb - again, a parallel to the symbolism of the Passover. While mother is in the kitchen, the children are sent off to hunt for their Easter eggs, which is another tradition of Easter, but not tied in with the Christian tradition (another chapter) and all Christian families reflect upon their lives and what the celebration of Easter really means to them. Most families are joyous in their celebrations, but some are quiet and reflective. To each, it is a very personal thing and must be celebrated as one's individual spirit leads them. It is especially personal to me, as my father died just before Easter in 1987. Three weeks before he died, the family was making special plans for my sister-in-law and niece to be baptized on Easter Day. During the hubbub of the gathering and the plans being made for the baptism, my father turned to me and quietly said, "Do I have to be there?" I was devastated at his question, but held my composure. Dad was always an integral part of family gatherings and always wanted to be involved. But, he had known that he was dying for over six months, and I realized, at that moment, how tired he was from hanging on for our benefit. So, understanding what he was saying, I answered him quite simply, yet very gently, "No, Dad. Not if you don't want to be." In less than two weeks, he was gone. Dad's physical body might not have been there that Easter Sunday, but his spirit was. I know it was. I felt it. And if there were any doubts left in his mind before he died that life is eternal, I live now with the knowledge that he has none. Neither do I.

There are many parallels throughout all religions. But for me, the celebrations of Passover and Easter reveal similarities in more ways than I can explain. I believe that great men do bring great revelations. To me, Moses and Jesus were two of those men. They were handpicked by God, sent to speak Truth and to lead people to their salvation. The inspirations of these two men resonate with my soul. It is up to us to hear our own truth and to comprehend its meaning in our own very intimately personal way. For me, that truth is love one another, for we all came from the very first seed and are intrinsically linked to one another. If we hurt another, as Pharoah did to the Israelites and Judas did to Jesus, we only hurt ourselves. There is no separation of souls, only of minds. Our eternal souls are bonded forever.

A blessed Passover and Easter to all of you. May you have the freedom to celebrate this season in whatever way you feel brings you the most peace. May God bless you, keep you safe from harm, and may you feel contentment and love in your life always.

Shalom,

Deirdre