MAUNDY THURSDAY
The Thursday before Easter is called Maundy Thursday. The name Maundy is Latin for "command," and it refers to the new commandment Jesus gave his disciples to love one another. Many churches celebrate this day with an Agape Feast, footwashing service, or observance of communion. As an option, use this Seder Meal to celebrate Passover as Jesus did with his disciples on this night.
A SEDER MEAL
by Mary Brauch Petersen
Lead children in a traditional Seder Meal to help them understand the role of Passover and its connection to the Lamb of God at Easter.
Throughout the world each year, Passover is celebrated by Jewish families as a remembrance of how God freed their ancestors from slavery. This gathering is the most significant home event of the year. The Seder meal is an important part of this celebration.
• Special Foods -- You'll need lamb -- either roasted or in a stew; a roasted bone; unleavened bread or matzo crackers; a pitcher of grape juice; maror or bitter herbs, such as horseradish, onions, and radish; charoseth -- a mixture of ground apples, raisins, nuts, figs, and honey; baked eggs; parsley; lettuce; celery; and salt water.
You'll also need a large Seder plate in the center of the table and cups. The plate contains the foods used during the service to represent the life of the Hebrews in Egypt.
•The Seder Ceremony -- The Seder meal itself contains several parts. This service is based on a Messianic Jewish order of service called a Haggada. Adjust the service and include the prayers that are special or important to you. Follow this order:
1. Light a candle. Say, "Blessed are you, oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, who sanctified us by the blood of the Messiah and commanded us to be a light for the nations and gave us Jesus, our Messiah, the light of the world."
2. Bless the first cup of juice. "We take up the kiddush cup and proclaim the holiness of this Day of Deliverance!" Everyone drinks the juice.
3. The green vegetables represent the hyssop that was used to place the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts. As you say the following, everyone takes a green vegetable and dips it into the salt water. Say, "Blessed are You, oh Lord our God, King of the Universe, Creator of the fruits of the earth."
4. Next, everyone takes a matzo, holds it up, and says together, "This is the bread of affliction, the poor bread, which our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. Let all who are in want share the hope of Passover."
Everyone places the matzo back on the plate.
5. Pour a second glass of juice as you tell the story of the Hebrews' deliverance in Exodus 12. Everyone drinks.
6. Show the roasted bone and say, "Our ancestors in Egypt were spared by the blood of a lamb. This reminds us that God delivered his people from Pharaoh's judgment against them."7. Hold up the maror and say, "The Egyptians made the lives of our forefathers bitter. The bitter herb speaks of sorrow." Hold up the charoseth and say, "This represents the mortar the Hebrews were forced to use building the Egyptian cities." Mix the maror and charoseth. Place them between two pieces of matzo, and everyone eats.
8. Pour a third cup of juice. Say, "Blessed are you, oh Lord, our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine." Everyone drinks.
9. Point out the egg on the plate. Say, "The egg is not touched because it symbolizes sacrifice. Jesus was sacrificed for our sins."
10. Pour a fourth cup of juice and say, "The redemption is not yet complete. The fourth cup recalls us to our covenant with the Eternal One, to the tasks that still await us as people called to the service of God, to a great purpose for which the people of Israel live: the preservation and affirmation of hope."
11. Lead children in singing praise songs. Then close by saying, "The Lord has remembered us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless those who revere the Lord, the small as well as the great."
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