Music (part 3) - Passover

Pessach/Wikipedia

Passover in 2016 will be celebrated April 22 - April 30. And it is a most significant event in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Reference: Everything you need to know about Passover 2016

Old Testament

The ancient feast has its roots in the Law of Moses. It celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from the bondage of Egyptian slavery as Moses, in the power of the Lord, led them to freedom into the Promised Land.

For a good summary:  In a Nutshell: The Passover Story

New Testament

Later, Jesus made a new covenant, the New Testament, at this feast, which became known as the Last Supper. Christians to this day celebrate it as communion.

For more information: The Last Supper - Bible Story Summary

The Story in Song

Passover Medley, below, tells the story in pictures and music, sung by a group that merges both the Old and Testaments, the Liberated Wailing Wall.

(reference: https://youtu.be/jSAypXH8cr4 )

Most of this Passover Medley is sung in Hebrew (with a few verses in English from Charles Wesley's hymn, Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus). But the lyrics and its translation of the Hebrew into English can be found here: Passover Medley by Liberated Wailing Wall

Old meets New

Jesus coined the word, New Testament (Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, I Corinthian 11:25), and St. Paul, referencing the Jewish writings, coined the word, Old Testament (II Corinthians 3:14).

And St. Paul wrote these words, bringing the Old and the New together:

Get rid of the old yeast, 

so that you may be
a new unleavened batch—
as you really are. 

For Christ, our Passover lamb, 

has been sacrificed.
1 Corinthians 5:7 (NIV)

And this message lives on through the centuries in religious rituals as well as music.

Blessings and new beginnings, my friends!

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Previous posts in the series:
  

Music (part 1) - Winter (2016) 

Music (part 2) - All You Need is Love (2016) 

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Photo: Pessach/Wikipedia

Pray4America (part 15) - Communion on the Moon

Wikipedia/First Man on Moon 1969 Issue-10c 

On July 20, 1969 - 45 years ago - two men, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, were the first humans to walk on the moon. [reference:  First Man on the Moon]

Much has been recorded on this epic event. But after those first few minutes after they landed on the moon, Buzz Aldrin said, "This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way."

The clips below is the rest of the story:

(reference:  http://youtu.be/o_J2EGDCwXo)

Here is an account attributed to Buzz Aldrin:

"In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.'

"I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute [they] had requested that I not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O'Hare [sic], the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly. I ate the tiny Host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility . It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there, were the communion elements."

 [reference: Commoonion]

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Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
 

Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV)

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Please check out eCard.

If my people pray

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord

 Psalm 33:12  (NIV)

America is worth fighting for!
  

Keep praying for America ....

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Previous posts in this series:

Pray4America (part 1) - National Day of Prayer (2012)

Pray4America (part 2) - FDR's prayer on D-Day (2012)

Pray4America (part 3) - FDR's Flag Day prayer - June 14, 1942 (2012)

Pray4America (part 4) - It's a Wonderful Life, America (2012)

Pray4America (part 5) - United we stand? (2012)

Pray4America (part 6) - Christmas in Iran 1980 (2012)

Pray4American (part 7) - For such a time as this (2013)

Pray4America (part 8) - Fear no evil (2013)

Pray4America (part 9) - America, the Beautiful - 1893 to 2013 (2013)

Pray4America (part 10) - Real Hope for America  (2013)

Pray4America (part 11) - New Year Reset  (2013)

Pray4America (part 12) - George Washington's Knee-Mails (2014)

Pray4America (part 13) - Apollo 13 Reflections and Prayer (2014)

Pray4America (part 14) - We are Americans (2014)

 

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Photo from:  Wikipedia/First Man on Moon 1969 Issue-10c