Holy Thursday: a Gentile’s Attempt at Passover with the Domestic Church

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I did my best preparing a Seder meal while Dylan was at work today.
Every item on our plates have meaning from the bitter herbs which remind us of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt to the vegetables that remind us of the backbreaking work the Jews did in Egypt. We dip the foods in salt water. The salt water (we used our soup which is salty liquid) represents the tears the Jews cried while enslaved for so many years.
Marley mastered the unleavened bread. She baked it in the afternoon and fried it before dinner for flavor.
Leg of lamb (or I suppose we could say it’s an arm)—Exodus 12–I remember the joyful face and laughter of my beloved Uncle Johnny (May he Rest In Peace) putting the blood of the lamb on the doorpost when we celebrated a Passover Meal with them. I can still remember how exciting and beautiful it was for us to relive the Passover with our Jewish family. Such a blessing!
Roasted vegetables
Matzoh Ball soup—I used a mix for the actual matzah balls. I make chicken stock weekly during the cold months (Jewish penicillin) but I have to admit that no one makes better soup or matzah ball soup than my Jewish Aunt Tamy. Chicken soup for the soul! Nonetheless, for Gentiles, we do pretty well and I’m thankful for my Aunt’s gourmet cooking that gives me something to aim for when celebrating holidays in our home.
Charoset —a paste (I used apples, pears, walnuts, wine, cinnamon and nutmeg) that reminds us of the bricks and mortar the Jewish people were forced to make while enslaved in Egypt.
Sampling the unleavened bread. In the exodus, “we” were in too much of a hurry to let the bread rise.


Last year, I wrote the four questions asked at Passover on index cards for our kids to read. I saved the cards but since we are transforming our office into a homeschool space, I couldn’t find last year’s notes or cards. Nonetheless, we read from Exodus before dinner, blessed our food, and the kids recited the four questions:
https://www.kveller.com/article/the-four-questions/

I love this tradition and hope we add onto it yearly. Last year, we were slightly better prepared but since most of the kids remembered our celebration last year, they all wanted to explain the details to their siblings, so I’d call that fruitful. I really want our kids to better understand the Jewish roots of mother Church and that God revealed Himself to us through His relationship and covenant with the chosen people. I want our kids to love and honor our “Jewish elders in faith” (as St. John Paul said), just as I do, especially since the New Testament is so easily misinterpreted by non-Jews and the Old Testament is so easily misappropriated by Christians as “ours,” as if we are the chosen people. It’s my hope my children come to know their faith and love our God by more deeply understanding how He revealed Himself to us.

Happy Holy Thursday! Chag Samaech! And have a blessed Triduum!

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