Devotion - Thursday, April 14

I thoroughly enjoyed last night's Seder Observance. Dr. Peter Cohen (advisor to CU's Hillel) lead us through the order and educated us on the various parts of the Passover Meal. I came home, remembering some of the responses and thinking about the message of the service.

There is one part which speaks of the "Four types of children." The order makes sure to recognize the typical responses to a long and involved religious observance. This attention is to make sure that all of the children, regardless of their "type," are involved in the observance and take away from it an understanding of what is being observed.

What is being observed is God's liberation.

We, in the Christian communities, tend to think of liberation in terms of liberation from sin and death. Jesus surely saves us from these. But the Seder reminds us that God saves us from other dangers, too. Jesus was Jewish. He had observed Passover (and Seder meals) for his whole life. When he spoke of being set free from sin and death, was he not speaking of this as the last and final enemy to be subjected to God? Or was he really intending to say that this is the only freedom which concerns God?

A modern Seder ends with a pledge to remember those who have been denied their basic human rights. It recalls all those caught up in cycles of oppression. And whether they share our religious views or not, we know that God does not want them to suffer or be overlooked.

All too often Christianity has become a religion of our hearts and ceased to be a religion which motivates our feet and hands. I don't think that is what Jesus intended. Certainly it is not the message the children leaving last night's Seder would have received.