Brittle bits of bread,

charred, bitter herbs, roasted lamb,

the last supper.

 

Released, relieved, now fleeing

before waves of crushing grief.

 

© 2017 – Laurel Archer

The story of Passover always evokes a confusion of emotions in me.  The people escape – that’s good.  But so many people die – that’s bad, hard, horrible.  This time as I considered the story alongside Jesus’ own celebration of the Passover as the Last Supper with his disciples, I noted how that story is also full of confused emotions that don’t get sorted out for a long while.  The disciples are happy, eating a meal with Jesus, Jesus brings up betrayal, the disciples get defensive, curious; in the garden Peter rises to defend Jesus, Jesus heals the Centurion’s ear, Peter is confused; then Judas arrives – more betrayal, Jesus is arrested, the disciples now scared, flee and Peter then denies Jesus; finally waves of grief follow Jesus death — and none of them in that moment know they were truly free — all they felt was grief and anxiety of a situation still thick with ‘now’.  There must have been all that and more in the great escape form Egypt.  How could there not be?

Note: This Advent series is using The Jesse Tree, a liturgical ‘tool’ to help guide and direct spiritual reflection.  Each day leading up to Advent, we  consider one Bible story, or character, beginning from creation, following chronologically (more or less) right up until the birth of Jesus. It’s a way to review the wide sweep of God’s pursuit of humankind across history.

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com