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Date: 08.04.2020
Place: SMAM - St. Joseph Sustainable Organic Farm Kwanyange

“It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses” (v. 27).  - Exodus 12
During the Last Supper, he prepared himself for his death and declared the same to his disciples. He held a glass of wine and identified the wine as his blood and the glass as his body which were soon to be sacrificed. This meal is termed as the Passover meal and the resurrection that followed his crucifixion marked the Easter Season.

Passover is fundamentally a religious service set around a dinner table, where the order in which participants eat, pray, drink wine, sing, discuss current social justice issues and tell stories. In 2020, Passover begins at nightfall on April 8 and ends on April 16. The Jewish holiday is centered on the retelling of the Biblical story of the Jewish people being freed from slavery in Egypt. Every family has its own Passover rituals.

A brief look at the background of Passover in Exodus 12 will enrich our view of the meal Jesus gave us. Passover was established when God rescued His people Israel from Egyptian slavery. After nine plagues did not move the pharaoh to let the Israelites go the Almighty sent one final plague that provoked the king of Egypt to relent temporarily and free the Israelites. This plague, the death of all of Egypt’s firstborn sons gave only a short window in which to escape; thus, the meal preceding it had to be something that could be eaten in haste. Unleavened bread was essential to the Passover as the people had no time to wait for the dough to rise if they were to get away. The blood of the Passover lamb was also a part of the feast. Though the people did not consume the blood, they did spread it on their door posts so that the angel of death would “pass over” their households. In so doing the Israelites marked themselves off as God’s people, saved from His wrath.

On 8th evening at SJS celebrated the Passover rituals. Grail sister community members prepared for the Passover meal with the help of farm staff members. According to the tradition that day young lamb was slaughtered and other traditional dishes (unleavened bread, bitter vegetable, lamb, fish, chicken, potato and wine) were prepared. Rev. Fr. Hilary Lobo & Fr. Victor Machado took part in the Passover meal and lead the prayer service. SJS family celebrated this as commemoration of Biblical significance of Passover of Israel from Egyptian slavery. This is the tradition followed in all the communities of Grail Sisters’ congregation. Farm Manager thanked all for support and for taking part in the celebration.