Martin Top Passover Celebration

On Maundy Thursday, 27 of us gathered at the chapel to share a Passover Seder meal. At a time when one major political party is embroiled in accusations of antisemitism, it was a real privilege to celebrate and better understand the Jewish origins of our faith. Skilfully led by DL, we drank from the four cups of wine, we ritually washed our hands in imitation of the priests, we ate our green vegetable dipped in salt water, reminding us of new life, but also of the tears of Egypt. We dipped a Matza piece into charoset, a sweet apple mixture, reminding us of the bitterness of slavery to sin but the joy of serving God.

I took the middle of three Matzas and hid it in a cloth. This, the Afikomen (meaning ‘what comes after, or ‘one who will come after’), was hidden, to be found later on by R, one of the youngest present. We Christians believe it represents the Messiah, the second member of the Trinity, who came to earth for a season and is found by those who seek Him. The Matza is striped and pierced and broken, a reminder of Messiah’s experience at Calvary.

We sang Deyanu, a traditional Jewish Passover song which is translated "it would have been enough", "it would have been sufficient", or "it would have sufficed". It tells us that God does more for us that we need, and recounts Israel’s time leaving Egypt and entering the land of promise. You can hear it here: ‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTb5rfqc9jo&app=desktop

We had a good evening. I hope we do it again.