“Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it,” Jesus instructs his disciples. [Luke 22:8] Jesus, a devout Jew celebrates the Passover according to the dictates of his faith tradition. Passover is a remembrance of the Exodus and the freeing of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. Every spring, Jewish people around the world follow the mandate in the book of Exodus: “You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.” [Exodus 12:14] Despite the threat to his life, Jesus would not be dissuaded from carrying out the rituals and responsibilities of his faith as a Jew. He celebrated Passover right up until the bitter end.
This year the Jewish celebration of Passover began on Monday March 25. Passover often falls near Holy Week for Christians. So Christians and Jews around the world are often celebrating their holy days at the same time. It is ironic then, that the stories of Holy Week are often the ones that are cited when justifying Christian anti-Semitism. That sounds like an oxymoron. Christian anti-Semitism. Can there be Christian anti-Semitism? Can a Christian be a true Christian and be anti-Semitic? Some, including me, would say, “no.” Jesus was a Jew. So to be against Jews is to be against Jesus’ people. Also, to be anti-Semitic violates the Christian commandment to love. In any case, Christians throughout the ages have justified anti Jewish sentiment by pointing to the gospel verses that declare that the Jews killed Jesus. Actually, the Jews did not have the power to carry out capital punishment, so the Jews did not have the authority to kill Jesus. Only the Romans had the authority to crucify. The verses in the gospels pinning Jesus’ death on the Jews stem from the acrimonious separating of Jews who believed that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah from Jews who did not believe that.
Sadly, the story of Holy Week, a story of God’s universal love for all of humanity and all of creation, has also spawned a story of Christian prejudice and violence against Jews.
Last week, as I looked through a circular that comes in the mail, among the classified ads for an antique sofa and and entertainment center, was an advertisement for Passover. This is what it said:
“Passover Peace. It’s at this time of Passover that we renew our dedication to freedom for all the people. As we strengthen our faith we become better human beings. As we become more faithful, we also become more interested in all humanity.”
To me, this sounds like a Jewish affirmation of my faith as a Christian. I hope that we as Christians can affirm the faith of our Jewish sisters and brothers and put an end to anti- Semitism which violates not only the teachings of Jesus, but Jesus himself.
Prayer: This Holy Week, may we celebrate God’s love for all which stops at nothing. May we stop at nothing in our loving in the name of God. May we redeem the death of Jesus with our affirmation of his faith tradition. May our love embrace not only our sisters and brothers in Christ, but our sisters and brothers on the paths of Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and all other spiritual traditions. Amen.
Lakewood United Church of Christ 