Days 5 & 6

The Last Supper-
For the last nine years we have had a Passover meal and read the events of the atonement and crucifixion. We have a Bethlehem dinner on Christmas Eve and a Passover meal just before Easter. Many times I have almost talked myself out of having the dinners. They are a bit of work and we are not Jewish. Yet every time I am so grateful that we took the time and created the memory.

We eat on the floor with pillows and candlelight. We use a common wooden bowl and eat with our fingers and with pita bread. 

Bread, couscous, and lamb (huge hit this year)

Parsley, romaine, roasted egg, raisins and carrots.

Haroset - My favorite. Apples, almond & walnuts, cinnamon and grape juice. The apples and nuts symbolize the bricks and straw and the grape juice symbolizes the blood of the jews that was split to bind them together as they lived in slavery. 

We also had grape juice to drink. 

Candlelight dinners are so special. We talked about the symbolism of the parts of the meal and the story of the Israelites. The discussion turned to Christ's last supper, the garden, the arrest, the "trial", the scourging, the crucifixion, the suffering, the end, the purpose and the joy. Tears poured down my cheeks and Ry hung on every word. He came around and sat next to me, held my hand and wiped a tear or two of his own. 

Matthew 26:36-39

36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called ^aGethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and ^bpray yonder.

  37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and ^abegan to be sorrowful and very heavy.

  38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is ^aexceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and ^bwatch with me.

  39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, O my ^bFather, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt.

Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-19

16 For behold, I, God, have ^asuffered these things for all, that they might not ^bsuffer if they would ^crepent;

  17 But if they would not repent they must ^asuffer even as I;

  18 Which ^asuffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might ^bnot drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

  19 Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and ^afinished my preparations unto the children of men.

There is so much to the story, so many details with lesson not to be missed. I love that we can celebrate this holiday for a few days, that it is not over yet.