GOOD FRIDAY AND PASSOVER
This week, two of the world’s major religions celebrate special holidays. For Christians, the celebration began last Sunday (Palm Sunday) when Jesus rode into Jerusalem for the last time. Today is Good Friday, when Jesus was crucified. This coming Sunday is Easter Sunday, when Christians celebrate Christ’s resurrection and ascension to Heaven.
For Jews, this year’s Passover observances began on April 9 (Thursday) and will continue for 7 days, until Wednesday, the 15th day of April.
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Many Christians spend this day in fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross. The celebration of Good Friday is ancient, and some of the practices associated with Good Friday are attested to by Egeria in the 4th century. The day gradually became a time of penance and fasting as the anniversary of the death of Christ. The name "Good Friday" possibly comes from "God's Friday," although the exact reason for the current name is unclear. Various churches observe Good Friday in addition to Catholics and Eastern Christians. Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans all observe Good Friday to varying degrees.
The biblical account of Jesus' death on the cross, or crucifixion, his burial and his resurrection, or raising from the dead, can be found in the following passages of Scripture: Matthew 27:27-28:8; Mark 15:16-16:19; Luke 23:26-24:35; and John 19:16-20:30.
PASSOVER
The significance of Passover dates back more than 3,000 years, when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt to escape the rule of the Pharaoh, who had enslaved and oppressed them for many years. Passover also marks the first day of the harvest season in Israel, although it does not occupy a central place in the celebration.
The historical account and origin of Passover, as commanded in the Bible, is found in the Book of Exodus. When the Pharaoh refused to grant Moses’ request to free the Israelites, God visited 10 plagues on Egypt. To escape the tenth and final plague, which claimed the first-born of each family, Jews were given the following command: “And the blood (when placed on the door post) shall be for you for a sign on the houses where you are, and I shall see the blood and I shall pass over you, and there shall not be among you a plague to destroy” (Exodus 12:13).
To Jews and Christians in SL and in RL - have a deeply meaningful celebration.
I wish to personally encourage all of you, whether religious or not, to reflect upon the meaning of these holy days. Commit to making the following 12 months a special time in your lives and in the lives of those whom you touch.
Peace!
1 comment:
Thank you deb for this article and explanation ! this is very important to share and to share this moment in family.
You know this day is specific for all of us and especially for me ! you know why ?
in fact, this day is also particular because we organize a eggs hunting for our childrens ! you should see that ! it is so beautiful like for christmas ! it is magic ! of course we could say ! it is normal they have gifts but please stop the time forget the gifts and stop time and look and appreciate that moment ! i am sure that if you parents , if you were childrens and we all were ! think of these moments we have known maybe christmas or easter and please appreciate thses moments, think of it !
i see my childrens running in the garden looking for eggs ! and saying youpii wow
looking for eggs or gifts in the trees ! it is just like in paradise ! debbie thank you because you allowed me to think of these moments and i do think of christmas also when we are in family with parents and i see time spending so fast ! i am here it is like i was watching a movie and i see the time i see these events and i am here seeing my life and thinking : it is spending so fast and my parents my family they are here with us and it is so nice to share time with them ! do you understand what i mean ! as time spends fast so fast , i need i think more and more to spend time with them ! don't know why maybe cause we are far from them ! and i want my childrens to be with their grandparents ! it is so important for everybody ! for them it is smile, happiness a lot of good things
thank you deb for this article many thanks ! you allowed to get inside and to feel of that !
byeeeeee
kissseeeesss
arc
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