Paschal Meal for Christians

(All Stand) 1. Praise, my soul, the king of heaven! To his feet thy tribute bring. Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like me his praise should sing? Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Praise the everlasting king! 2. Praise him for his grace and favour to our fathers in distress; praise him still the same forever, slow to chide and swift to bless. Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Glorious in his faithfulness! 3. Father-like he tends and spares us; well our feeble frame he knows; in his hands he gently bears us, rescues us from all our foes. Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Widely as his mercy flows! 4. Angels, help us to adore him; ye behold him face to face; sun and moon bow down before him, dwellers all in time and space. Praise him! Praise him! Praise him! Praise Him! Praise with us the God of grace!

Kippah is the Hebrew word for the skullcap traditionally worn by Jewish men. It is also called a yarmulke or koppel in Yiddish. Wearing a kippah is not a religious commandment. Rather it is a Jewish custom that over time has come to be associated with Jewish identity and showing respect for God. Wearing of a head covering for men was only instituted in Talmudic times (approximately the second century CE). The first mention of it is in Tractate Shabbat, which discusses respect and fear of God. The head covering is also a sign of humility for men, acknowledging what's "above" us, i.e. (God). All males present are requested to wear the yarmulke throughout the celebration and then return it to the box provided when leaving the hall.

NARRATOR: Remember the Past Live the Present Trust the Future The celebration of Passover is based on Tradition which is thousands of years old. Instructions are found in the Book of Exodus. It is essentially a Family affairJoyous, but Reverent. We have come together this evening to celebrate this ancient Jewish tradition, the Pesach or Passover. It reminds us of the way in which God rescued the Jews from slavery in Egypt. He called them to follow Him to freedom in their own landin the same way that He calls us to follow Him into His Kingdom. Jewish children are told the Haggadah, or the Story of Exodus, during the meal. In this way they are taught their heritage and come to associate themselves with the deliverance of their ancestors from slavery. We also need to learn afresh the story of our salvation, and claim it for our very own. We follow the example set by Jesus, who gathered His disciples together all those years ago to celebrate with them the Feast of the Passover. He celebrated the Feast to commemorate the way in which the angel passed over the homes of the Jewish families when the first born of each Egyptian family was slain. The Jews had sacrificed a lamb, and marked their homes with its blood so that the angel would know who they were. We believe that we need to be marked with the Precious Blood of Our Lord in the Eucharist, and to accept His supreme sacrifice on the cross as our own for our own salvation. Both the Jewish Passover and the Eucharist are celebrations of thanksgiving. The Passover sums up all the reasons that Jews have to be thankful to God, and reaffirms Gods covenant with them. The Eucharist is the fulfilment of that covenant, and sums up all that we have to be thankful for to God. Let us now begin our celebration...

THE FESTIVAL LIGHTS ARE LIGHTED NARRATOR: It is the tradition that the Passover meal is begun by the mother of the family lighting the Festival Lights. We start our Paschal Meal in the same way. MOTHER: (Lights the candles as she says) Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe. You have sanctified us by your commandments and you have commanded us to kindle the festival lights. Blessed are You our Lord. You have kept us alive and sustained us and brought us to this season. May our homes be consecrated, O God, by the light of Your Face, shining on us in blessing, and bringing us peace. For blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe. We ask for peace in our homes and in our beloved country. ALL: Amen. (All be seated) NARRATOR: You will note than an empty place has been set at the main table where our host family is seated. This is reserved for the Prophet Elijah who is to come before the Messiah appears. LAVETHE RITUAL WASHING OF HANDS Before we commence, we need to remember that strict laws of cleanliness are observed during the Pesach. The father of our host family will now clean and dry his hands in a symbolic gesture of our admission of being sinners, and to show our desire for Gods forgiveness. This ritual also recalls the ceremonial washing that the priest undergoes before entering the Temple. Further, it symbolises the purity with which one begins a meal. PRIEST: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has given us Your Only Son to take away our sins. Wash away our iniquity and cleanse us from our sins.

KIDDUSHTHE BLESSING OF THE FEAST NARRATOR: The first main business of any meal is saying graceand this meal is no exception. We will now pray to God to guide us and to send us His Holy Spirit in a special way this evening so that we may be open to His Word, and be changed by it. FATHER: (The father now stands holding up the jug and prays) Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has chosen us and has exalted us, and made us holy by Your commandments. In love, You have given us, O Lord our God, seasons for gladness, holy days and times of rejoicingfor you have chosen us and sanctified us, and given us Your sacred season for our inheritance. Blessed are You, O Lord, who sanctified Israel and the festivals. ALL: (sing) Blest are you, Lord, God of all creation, thanks to your goodness this wine we offer: fruit of the earth, work of our hands, it will become the cup of life. Blessed be God! Blessed be God! Blessed be God forever! Amen! Blessed be God! Blessed be God! Blessed be God forever! Amen! NARRATOR: Please fill your glasses with wine. (Wait for all to have their glasses filled.) This first cup of wine that we drink is called the Cup of Sanctification. Wine is a symbol of joy, so let us remember, as we drink it, the joy that is ours as the fruit of salvation, that was given to us in Jesus. (All sip their wine.) KARPASREBIRTH AND RENEWAL NARRATOR: At the centre of each table is a plate which contains a lamb bone, egg, salt water, green herbs (parsley), bitter herbs (horseradish), and haroses (apple mixture.) This is known as the Seder Plate. Salt water represents the Red Sea across which God safely brought His people, and the salt represents their tears in slavery. The green herb represents the new life in the land promised to them.

(Take some green herb and dip it into the salt water twice) ALL: Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the soil. (The green herb is now eaten.) YAHATZA BOND FORMED BY SHARING NARRATOR: In front of the host father is a special platter of three pieces of unleavened breadeach wrapped in a cloth. This represents the three divisions of Israel: the priests, Levites, and people. The middle piece is now taken, broken, wrapped, and buried under a pillow by the host father. (The aphikomenhidden bread.) Now the father will lift the matzos in invitation. FATHER: Behold! This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let all who are hungry come and eat. As we welcome the spirit of the Prophets to be with us tonight, may we think wisely and feel deeply as we celebrate the Passover. May we also understand how our celebration should flow over into liberating action in our lives. NARRATOR: Wine is now poured for Elijahthe door is wide open and ready to welcome him for, who knows, he may already be on the threshold. MATZAH, MOROR, HAROSETTHE CHILDS QUESTIONS NARRATOR: The second cup of wine is now pouredbut we do not drink it yet. This cup of wine is known as the Cup of Instruction and is part of the Haggadah or Telling. It is the telling of the story of deliverance from Egypt and starts off as the children of the family ask the questions. CHILD: Why is this night different from other nights? On other nights we eat both leavened and unleavened bread, but on this night we eat only unleavened bread. What is the meaning of matzos?

FATHER: (Holds up matzos) My child, we remember how the children of Israel lived in the land of Egypt, eating the bitter bread of banishment. CHILD: Why is this night different from all other nights? On other nights we eat al kinds of herbs, but on this night we eat bitter herbs. FATHER: (Holds up bitter herbs and egg) These bitter herbs remind us of the hardships of the children of Israel in Egypt and in the desert. The Syrians pursued our fathers who went down into Egypt and sojourned there in a very small number, and grew into a nation great and strong and of infinite multitude. The Egyptians afflicted us and persecuted us, laying on us most grievous burdens. We cried to the Lord of our fathersHe heard us and looked down upon our affliction, labour and distress. God brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. The hard boiled eggs remind us of the new life in the land promised to the Israelites. CHILD: What is haroses? FATHER: (Hold up the haroses) The haroses is the clay and straw used by the Israelites in Egypt for building. CHILD: What is the meaning of Pesach? FATHER: (Holds up the lamb bone) Pesach is the Passover lamb which our forefathers sacrificed to God in memory of the night when the Angel of Death passed over the houses of our fathers in Egypt. ALL: (Eat matzos, maror, haroset, and egg) NARRATOR: This part of the celebration ends with the prayers of thanksgiving to God through chanting or saying one of the Psalms of deliverance, and drinking the second cup of wine. (All stand) FATHER: I love the Lord for He has heard the cry of my appeal; for He turned His ear to me in the day when I called Him. ALL: How can I repay the Lord for His goodness?

FATHER: I called on the Lords name. O Lord my God, deliver me. ALL: How can I repay the Lord for His goodness? FATHER: How gracious is the Lord, and justour God has compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearts. I was helpless so He saved me. ALL: How can I repay the Lord for His goodness? FATHER: He has kept my soul from death, my eyes from tears and my feet from stumbling. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living. ALL: How can I repay the Lord for His goodness? (Drink second cup of wine) BLESSING OF THE MEAL (Third cup of wine is poured and piece of matzos is served) FATHER: Blessed are You, God, King of the universe. You have delivered us and redeemed our fathers from Egypt and have permitted us to live till this night to share the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs. May Your will be done through us Your servants so that Your name may be made holy all over the earth, and all peoples be moved to strive for freedom, unity, and redemption for the whole world. ALL: (Hold cup of wine) Blessed are You, God, King of the universe who creates the fruit of the vine. (Drink the wine) (Hold piece of matzos) Blessed are You, God, King of the universe who brings forth bread from the earth. (Eat the matzos) THE MEAL NOW TAKES PLACE. (All seated)

THE CUP OF BLESSING NARRATOR: Now that we have shared a meal together, we arrive at the point where Jesus gave the ritual a new meaning at the Last Supper. We read from the Gospel of Saint Matthew. PRIEST: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. NARRATOR: Let us pour our fourth and final glass of wine. (Once everyones glass is charged) ALL: Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the universe. You feed the entire world with your goodness, with grace, with loving kindness and with pity. You give food to all living creatures because Your loving kindness endures forever. In Your great goodness, food has not and will not be lacking for us forever, for You are God who feeds and supports. May we in turn never allow anyone to experience hunger. FATHER: After Jesus resurrection, He made His presence and power known to His followers in the breaking of the bread. As a sign of our hope that, in Christ, we will be one, let us break bread together. MOTHER: And in joy let us drink wine. May it gladden our hearts and may the sharing be a pledge of our support to each other as we travel along the way of wisdom and freedom. (Host father breaks the aphikomenhidden bread, and passes it on. As it is passed from person to person, each says: The Bread of Strength and eats the piece of matzos. Host father lifts his wine glass and so do all present. Together we say: The wine of Gladness and drink from our glasses.

NARRATOR: Our evening draws to a close now with the ancient blessing from the Book of Numbers. Please stand. FATHER: May the Lord bless us and keep us. May the Lord make His face to shine upon us and have mercy on us. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon us and give us peace. ALL: Amen! Amen! Amen!
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His great love is without end. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His great love is without end. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His great love is without end.

Amen! Amen! Amen! FATHER: Ended is our Passover Seder according to custom, statute and law. As we were worthy to celebrate it this year, so may we perform it in future years. Heavenly Father, restore the congregation of Israel in your love. Speedily lead your redeemed people to Zion in joy. ALL: (Said loudly) NEXT YEAR IN JERUSALEM!

1. Praise to the Holiest in the height, and in the depth be praise, in all his words most wonderful, most sure in all his ways. 2. O loving wisdom of our God! When all was sin and shame, a second Adam to the fight, and to the rescue came. 3. O wisest love! that flesh and blood which did in Adam fail, should strive afresh against the foe, should strive and should prevail: 4. And that a higher gift than grace should flesh and blood refine, Gods presence and his very self, and Essence all divine. 5. And in the garden secretly and on the Cross on high, should teach his brethren, and inspire to suffer and to die. 6. Praise to the Holiest in the height, and in the depth be praise, in all his words most wonderful, most sure in all his ways.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PASCHAL MEAL Participants: Narrator, Father, Mother, Children, Priest/ Reader Tables: Table cloth, dinner plates, knifes, forks, napkins, wine glasses, bowls of salt water, bowl for host father to wash hands, towel, cushion, 3 linen cloths, extra table setting for Elijah, menorah, candles, matches. Wine/ grape juice, matzos, lamb, green salad, fruit, vegetables for main meal, hard boiled eggs, parsley, horseradish, haroses. equal portions of chopped nuts and grated apple, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, red wine as desired.

Food:

Haroses: