The Seder and Singing

Last night, Maundy Thursday, was a wonderful blessed event. It was the first time that Doreen and I had a chance to worship at St John’s on Maundy Thursday since Rev Ferris, Greg, assumed pastoral leadership there. The worship was a wonderfully done Seder Meal. The Passover meal our Jewish brothers and sisters have practiced since escaping from the Egyptians lo those many years ago. It is a meal where each item eaten has a symbolic and historical meaning for those all seated at the table. Questions are asked, generally by the young (but they are hard to come by in modern churches with the average age of 51; but we’re all God’s kids anyway. In the asking of the questions and the responses given, our religious heritage is recalled and remembered and cherished. It was a wonderful spiritual fulfilling experience that I wish to thank Greg and all the others involved for creating it.

We need far more of such events in the exercise of modern Christianity where I feel we are losing the stories and therefore our knowledge and passion for our spiritual history. Some  modern, non-denominational churches, often accent the motivation and marketing  of Christianity, sometimes at the expense of our traditions and mature theology; popularity can easily replace faithful servanthood. As the heads continue to grey in our church, I celebrate bright young pastors like Greg who are bringing younger believers into the life and vitality of the church. Those like him, who keep the stories alive and faith fun and fulfilling.

In a recent issue of Christian Century Barbara Brown Taylor, a wonderful contemporary pastor and Christian education and thinker wrote an article called, And Jesus Sang. (Doreen and I had a chance to meet and learn from her at a seminar on Washington Island several years ago.) She raised an interesting point. Can you think of any point in scripture where it is recorded that Jesus sang or even laughed. (I think he told jokes but then I often see things in scripture that don’t seem apparent to others.) When I think of just how important music is in our worship of God, this observation just seemed awful, terrible.

But last night Greg, while reading the Seder meal words he told that on the night of the Passover (when the Seder is celebrated) after Jesus shared the meal with his friends they sang a hymn and headed out into the night. (This is recorded in both Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels.) The hymn? Who knows, perhaps the Hallel – Psalms 113 through 118. But he sang, and more of our rich tradition is known to us.

Precious in the sight of the Lord

Is the death of his faithful ones.

O Lord, I am your servant;

I am you servant, the child of your serving girl. (Psalm 116. 15-16)

I hope we continue to sing with Jesus.