While the boys ate their lunch today I whipped up a matzah dough. That's right matzah. It was pretty exciting actually. Tonight we are going to a seder meal. Several other families have been doing this for years, and this is our first invite to one. Every family brings a traditional dish for the seder gathering, and also a 'normal' potluck dish. We were given the task of matzah with the sidenote that we could buy it from the store premade... what premade... no way baby, I went online and found a recipe and set out to make it myself. While thumbing thru other traditional dishes I also found one for a spinach casserole, and I thought to myself "myself we should make our potluck traditional as well, right?!"
Back to making the matzah... as I stood there rolling out my dough, heating my stone, and preparing to bake I had visions of Mother Mary dancing thru my head. How this was a regular thing for her to do... putting baby Jesus down for a nap, or setting him near her to play while she cooked. What a glorious sight that must have been, her in her apron preparing supper for Jesus and Joseph. It gave me that feeling of accomplishment, that I was part of that long standing tradition (which I am, but hardly ever feel that type of connection). The unlevened bread, mana from heaven, Christ's true flesh... all the symbolism and reality gave me goose bumps just to think about.
When my first round of matzah came out of the oven I gave each of the boys a piece to sample... and they regailed me with high praises. I tasted it as well... very crackery (which I knew it would be), and not half bad considering the few ingredients used. As I gave it to my children I thought of how Mary would give it to Christ, then how she GAVE US Christ starting at the wedding feast at Cana. Not that I could ever truly feel her pain or joy, but I caught a glimpse into her heart... the swords piercing her heart, the deep and eternal love, and the complete fiat to God's call in the redemption of mankind. Feeling that same fiat accepting the boys into our lives, loving them so completely without even knowing them, wanting to protect them even though we could not protect them from their past.... as she could not protect HIM from his future. All this from bread... all this for the reality of our Faith...
Posts
