Seder meal really the last Supper and is it relevant to learn about?

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otabechan said:
I am a member of a Catholic organization that wants to invite a Jewish convert to speak on the topic of the Seder meal and its symbolism/ how it relates to the Eucharist.
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If you are going to do this, I HIGHLY recommend that you invite Roy Schoeman, a Catholic author, radio host, & convert from Judaism.

https://www.salvationisfromthejews.com/abouttalks.html

He offers a “Passover Seder in the Light of Christ” which is very educational. My Parish hosted him last year.

God Bless
 
semper_catholicus said:
Does this help:

‘Christianized’ Seder Meals
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Yes, this is bad. This is when gentile Christians participate (knowingly or innocently) in Judaising.

However, to have a Hebrew Catholic come in to teach the about the Seder and re-enact SOME OF IT, as an academic exercise is not a sin.

Roy Schoeman (who is a Hebrew Catholic and attends an FSSP Parish) offers a great Seder program for Catholics who want to learn about our Jewish history
 
otabechan said:
Hello -

I am a member of a Catholic organization that wants to invite a Jewish convert to speak on the topic of the Seder meal and its symbolism/ how it relates to the Eucharist. They are having the speaker walk us through a Seder meal as a type of Lenten reflection (i.e., this is what Christ would have eaten, this is how it relate to our faith history, etc). Afterward, they are saying we need to have a light meal in keeping with the Seder tradition. I feel very uncertain about this. If we are not having an actual Seder, then I wonder why do we have to follow the tradition of a light meal afterward?? And why must this take 2 hours?? I am not feeling good about this. I am concerned that, while not intended, this is would be not respectful to Christ who gave us our new covenant, or to our Jewish brothers and sisters (I would be concerned if I saw someone trying to explain a “mock” version of the mass, even if they were a former Catholic!). I have found several conflicting articles on this topic, including this one written by a Jewish person who said that Christ did not celebrate the Seder as His Passover meal the way it is practiced today since this practice that is today came into existence in 70 AD.
Does this have merit?

Do my concerns have merit or am I over thinking this or overly sensitive? I have tried to speak up about this and have been brushed aside. If this is someone harmful or disrespectful and I need to have a reference to approach our leaders. Thank you for your help.
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NOTE: I just re-read your post and I’m wondering if this is actually Roy Schoeman program?

If it is, it’s actually pretty good. He does recommend the dinner afterward, but that part is NOT religious. It’s just a way to tie in some fellowship together after wetting your pallet by tasting traditional Seder meal.

NOTE: He doesn’t not really do as “mock Seder” as you really don’t do the liturgy. It’s more of a walk though the Seder, similarly to a Catholic performing a walk through of the Mass.
 
Yes to this.

The Jewish Sedar Meal does not recognize Jeus as the Messiah. We are New Testament people, with new laws and new rites, that fullfulled the old laws and old rites. If by our actions we go back or attempt to go back and celebrate in the way people did before Christ, we are denying Him with our actions and denying His fullfillment of the law and His Sacrifice for our salvation.
 
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Explanations of the Seder are fine, a little acting out and walkthrough is fine, and samples of Seder food are fine.

But it’s not terribly appropriate, or ecumenical, to hold a liturgy of another faith. And a Seder is definitely a liturgy, even though it’s a home liturgy.

Through various circumstances, I once ended up attending this “passion play” thing that was actually a Masonic version of the Last Supper, including Mass-like bits that weren’t directly from the Gospel. It was really really offensive to me as a Catholic (and probably to any Christian paying attention), because it was so much like a liturgy, while actually being all about Mason stuff. (Not to mention the obvious but unexplained callouts to secret Mason stuff, which was annoying.)

A lot of Jewish people feel similarly queasy about Christians holding seder meals, and I can see why.

Obviously we are within our rights to do this stuff, but the whole 1970’s thing of going to the parish center, sitting around separate little tables, and pretending to have a seder meal (but nobody ever shelled out for roast lamb, of course!) is just not a super-good idea.

In my experience, there’s also never a clear distinction between “stuff Jews did at the Seder in Jesus’ time and before” and “stuff Jews did after Christianity got popular.” Mrs. Goldstein down the street is not going to serve the same dishes that the Virgin Mary did, even if they stem from the same ideas.
 
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As Fr. Phillip Wolfe points out in the following presentation, the current practice of 'Seder meal’s is a violation of the 1st Commandment.

 
What is important to know is that the Eucharist is the most important Sacrament of all. It is the perfect gift we received from God.

Also, God prefigured the Eucharist in many ways during the Old Testament times. One of them is seder meal.

With more research, one realizes that other important traditions from the ancient hebrews are also there, such as the symbolism of eating the Mannah, the food from God, during the desert wandering. There were rituals related to the Bread of the Presence that existed in the old Temple of Jerusalem, which also prefigures the Eucharist.

However, although it is important knowing these details, it isn’t necessary. Great Saints and mysticals of the Church knew the value of the Eucharist by only contemplating its misteries and greatness. After all, it is God Himself that is made present
 
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