We had a great Feast of Passover celebration! Now we're looking toward Pentecost.
The two are considered to be one feast by Jewish tradition. During the 49 days that connect the two celebrations, we are commanded to "count the omer." The omer-- the measure of barley harvested and offered up as the First Fruit Offering on the day of Christ's resurrection--is made from the grain normally used for animal feed. It was the food of the poor and the desperate. The First Fruit Offering is a symbol of Christ's resurrection, because it was taking place in the Temple just as Christ was being resurrected from the grave.
To count the omer means to "reckon" his resurrection in us; and to acknowledge it in how we respond to life each day.
Each of the 49 days represents a Gate of Impurity that we must pass through. The sages explained this involves shedding our ideas of what we consider "good." (That's because the Israelites were shedding their idolatry, as we do. And idolatry always seems to be "good.") The 50th day--Pentecost itself-- marks the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai and corresponds to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the disciples as they waited in the Temple.
This year we'll celebrate May 22-23 at Cooper Lake State Park, about an hour's drive northeast from Dallas.
Please download the Pentecost memo and read the scripture passages to prepare for this celebration.
The photo at left is from the Rutledge Group's Passover Seder.
