Exodus 12:1-13; 13:1-8
Family traditions and rituals
become part of our lives so much so that when someone new joins us they often
are surprised by what or how we do things.
Family traditions and rituals are
passed from generation to generation, and it is often difficult to remember
when it started, or why.
It can apply to anything – and pretty
much every family will be different – have their own particular idiosyncrasies –
but each family will also have their own similarities… and, often we believe, because
we have always done it, the surely people all through history have done it too…
the way we do Christmas; the way we
celebrate birthdays; the way we mark the passing of the years – the way we
remember.
It is personal; it is important; it
is our tradition and once established it becomes very difficult to change,
unless there is some sort of upheaval.
The Passover is probably the
biggest Jewish Festival of all; it marks an important event in the life of the tribe
of Israel; and it is still remembered today; still celebrated every year; it
becomes special for us as Christians because it was the last meal that Jesus shared
with his friends before his death. It carries great significance – for from
this meal – a meal to remember the actions of God – comes our own celebration
of communion – another meal to remember the actions of God.
Strangely today is known as World
Communion Sunday – though generally this is celebrated most frequently by
American Presbyterian Churches; it is a good day to remember that even communion
has its own traditions and rituals – and that they differ from church to
church, denomination to denomination.
In America today, many churches
will mark World Communion, by having a special communion service, using many
different types of bread from across the world; the left over bread will be
shared out and given to members to take home to continue sharing the blessing;
others will keep it there and it will go to a shared table lunch; still others
will want to keep its sanctity and therefore it will be removed and returned to
the earth – either by scattering or by burial -
so many ways; so many
interpretations, but who is to say one is more right than the other?
What is really important; vital even,
in all of these traditions and rituals is not the how, but the why. Why do we remember
certain things? And why do others get left by the wayside?
On the personal, family level: we
celebrate birthdays – to mark the passage of time, to recognise milestones: become
a teenager; reaching adulthood; maturity; moving from one decade to another;
passing retirement age – each is marked; each small triumph.
We mark anniversaries: wedding
anniversaries in these days of broken marriage or no marriage are increasingly important
– a sign of permanence and the fulfilment of promises.
There are other promises we make
that are not generally observed – who knows the date they were baptised? Or the
date they were confirmed? If you became an elder – do you know which date is
your anniversary?
Because of social media – I know
that this week marked in the 11th anniversary of my ordination – and
I was a little sad that I had not remembered myself – that it took a Facebook reminder.
These last ones: baptism;
confirmation; ordination – these I want to think about for these are all holy
promises we make.
All through the bible we are
reminded of God’s promises to the Chosen People in the Old Testament, and then
all people in the New Testament – the Passover meal was repeated, and is
repeated and will be repeated year on year to remind the Chosen People still
that they can rely on God; that God will rescue them; that God will be with
them, come what may.
For us, as Christians, we take not
the Passover meal, but the offering that came out of it – our Holy Communion, which
we have repeated, and will continue to repeat month by month to remind us the
we can rely on God; that God is with us; that God will always be with us, come
what may.
God’s Promises are to be relied
upon; unlike the promises of individuals – which sometimes are constant, and sometimes
may be beset with trials and tribulations; with betrayal and infidelity; God’s promise
to us, through Jesus Christ is that he prepares a place for us and that he will
be with us until the end of all time.
What a wonderful promise that is!
God totally understands our human
frailty; knows that we make our promises with good intentions and constant
hope; accepts that sometimes we will fail, or give up, or simply be overwhelmed
by life. None of that is important to God – what matters is that we continue to
do our best; to share God’s love; to remember.
Remember God’s promises to us and
to all generations: from Passover in Egypt, to the Upper Room in Jerusalem, to
us here in Earlston today: to be with us to the very end of time.
That Passover Promise is worth
holding on to.
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| Communion celebrated at Lake Galilee |
