Passover (Part 2 of 3)

Thank heavens for the folks at Renovatus who hosted a Passover Seder dinner and offered an open invite. We reserved our spots, thankful for the opportunity.

 The outdoor setting was beautiful--the thunderstorm ill-timed. We found our spots around tables set with the seder plate and breathed in the sweet air before the rains would come. We don't really get thunderstorms around here, so weren't too worried one would actually materialize.

Just in case, Kevin, the host, suggested we get started and not dally too long. We opened our Hagaddah (that's the booklet that lays out the script for the evening) and read the opening blessing.

And the sky cracked open.

A great bolt of lightning struck with a crack, leaving the air charged and the hair on our arms and legs standing straight up. Everyone grabbed seder plates and ran for shelter.

I guess that's a good reason to keep your shoes on for Passover!

The group of 20 or more made short work of arranging tables inside. We worked through the Hagaddah, sampling matzah and bits of lamb, doing each of the steps of the evening with acknowledgement and explanation of how the Old Testament traditions pointed to New Testament truths. If you've never experienced a Seder meal with a group of Christians, you really should. After my first experiene, communion was never the same again.

On this night, though, I left feeling like I had gone through the actions of the Seder meal, but it didn't get to my heart like it often does. Had it become old hat? Just another tradition that lost its meaning from too much repetition?

I anticipated (and dreaded) going to a second Seder meal in the same week. I've avoided writing about this first Seder because I have so much to say about the second, I am overwhelmed.

Still, there is a value in keeping traditions. Even when they don't reach us at a heart level, they remind us of who we are and where we come from. It was a blessing to share the evening with old friends, strangers, and (especially) one of my girls.