TASTE

The title of my homily is, “Taste!”

It’s just one of the words in today’s reading from Hebrews 2: 9b-10.

It’s just one of the words we taste on Holy Thursday.

Taste….

The author of Hebrews is telling us that Jesus has saved us by tasting death. Just as all of us will taste death - and have tasted it with the death of loved ones - neighbors and associates and parishioners - Jesus is one of us by tasting death - dying for all of us.

On Holy Thursday the Jewish people celebrate the Passover - with a meal.

The Passover meal connected - grounded - placed - put - the people of Israel back in Egypt - on a night different from all over nights - the night when they escaped, exited, Exodused, ran from slavery towards freedom - baptized in the waters - moving into the desert - heading from the Land of Suffering towards the Land of Milk and Honey.

If you ever have a chance to go to a Seder Meal, go to it.

If you ever have a chance to go to the Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday services, go to them. They are moments different from all other moments.

At the Passover Meal, the unblemished sheep or goat from their flock is slaughtered. The blood is put on the two doorposts. The Lamb is roasted and served. The unleavened bread is eaten. The bitter herbs are tasted. The different cups of wine are tasted. The people around the supper table are tasting history - doing this in memory of Moses and those who were in on that Passover. The people at the Passover Supper were tasting not only history - but also the mystery of how they were saved by the Lord.

It is the Passover of the Lord.

The title of my homily is, “Taste!”

Jesus tasted that Passover Meal every year till that night - especially that Holy Thursday night - his Last Supper - till he passed through the waters and blood of death - and entered the Promised Land of Eternal Life.

At that Last Passover, at that Last Supper, Jesus did a few things differently. He washed his disciples feet and told us to do likewise. He said he did it as an example of how to treat each other starting from one’s feet. At that Last Passover, at that Last Supper, he took bread and he took wine and offering them up to God he said, “This is my body, I’m giving it to you. This is my blood, I’m pouring it out for you.”

Taste and see how good the Lord is.

That’s what we celebrate this day.

Taste Holy Thursday this Thursday.

Pass over your life and your love and your service to the Lord and to each other - and experience the love that Jesus talks about at that Last Supper - that Meal which we celebrate over and over again till the Lord comes in Glory. Amen.

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Painting on top: Kimberly Burgess