Last night, during the evening of my latest mini-weekend, I went to a Passover Seder at my girlfriend's church. In preparation for Easter, it was a tangible remembrance of Jesus' last supper and a beautiful tie to Judaism.
I feel this way at my mom's Catholic church -- especially during candlelit penance services -- there's something so powerful and moving about taking part in a God-given ritual that has been observed for millennia. At times, especially during traditional hymns, I feel a strong connection with ancient peoples as if the time/space continuum all but disappeared. At a seder, this is compounded when listening to Hebrew both spoken and in song. It's like poetry to my ears.
But my new favorite word is "dayenu" which is loosely translated as "it would have been enough for us" or "it would have been sufficient."
I drove home last night thinking:
Had He simply loved me but allowed me to live in poverty, dayenu
Had He raised me in a comfortable, loving home but given me no talents, dayenu
Had He given me talents but no outlet, dayenu
Had He given me a menial job with no prospects, dayenu
Had He given me a challenging yet rewarding job but no friendships, dayenu
Had He given me heaps o' friends but no husband and children, dayenu
Had He given me an awesome family but terrible health, dayenu
Had He given me perfect health but no retirement funds, dayenu
I could go on and on. It's such a great reminder, especially when down in the dumps, that I have been blessed beyond measure. And, even if I feel some times like I'm a slave in Egypt, it's also nice to remember that God is a redeemer. Yet, instead of wandering through the desert for 40 years, I have to learn to trust Him.
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