Can you answer some Passover questions?

[DennyO]

In this evening’s first reading, the story of the Passover is told. I am troubled at parts and baffled as well.

Troubling in that the Lord, in supporting the Israelites, comes across to me as a terrorist of sorts, taking the lives of the first born of each home not displaying the lamb’s blood of passover on the doorway. Are we to believe the Egyptians, or even the non-observant Jews, were perceived by Him as evil doers, deserving death?

I am also baffled as to why the Lord would even need an external sign to distinguish the good from the bad.

Then there are all the tiny details of the passover meal itself, right down to the bitter spices to be used and the manner of eating (hurried). The age and gender of the lamb used, how its to be apportioned and on and on. It just seems so focussed on the nitty-gritty that it seems to lose the big picture for me.

I hope I am not coming across as sacriligious by these comments, I am just describing my internal feelings.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Be careful not to fall into the trap of judging God from human standards. He is God and not merely a bigger version of us. Since He alone is the author of life, He has the right to take life when and however He chooses. It can’t be murder for Him.

Certainly, He didn’t need to notice the blood on the doorsteps to know where the Jews resided. But the people were simple and needed such explanations. They also needed to practice obeying Him. We still do!

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.