Maundy Thursday meal plus recipes

This year, I decided to start a tradition in our family to serve a special meal on Maundy Thursday, otherwise known as Holy Thursday. This is the day that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the Apostles before His crucifixion on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

For our Maundy Thursday meal, each food item on the menu was significant, imitating some aspects of the Last Supper.

Our Maundy Thursday menu:

1. The lamb chops with yogurt sauce recognize Christ as the Passover Lamb.
2. The cooked greens and raw celery represent the bitter herbs reminiscent of the Passover meal. They symbolize the bitterness and harshness of the slavery the Hebrews endured in Egypt. At the Last Supper, they alluded to the bitter suffering Christ was about to endure on the cross.
3. The applesauce with cinnamon and raisins is a substitution for haroset (or charoset), a sweet, dark-colored paste made of fruits and nuts. It represents the mortar used by the Israelites while in bondage in ancient Egypt.
4. The unleavened bread signifies Christ’s body, which was broken on the cross. Unleavened bread is served during Passover, commemorating the Exodus out of Egypt. Since the children of Israel left Egypt hastily, they did not have time for the bread to rise, so it was made without leaven (also known as yeast).
5. The grape juice represents the blood of Christ, which was shed for the remission of sins.

Although it may seem like a strange combination of foods, it was actually quite good. The lamb chops with yogurt sauce were seriously amazing. After we finished our meal, the hubs shared some scripture: Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26 and Luke 22:7-20. Our daughter particularly enjoyed the evening and seemed quite interested in what each food represented. Here are my favorite recipes:

Lamb chops with yogurt sauce – Click here for the recipe.

Susan’s homemade flour tortillas –
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp. baking powder (Note: This is considered leaven – albeit a tiny amount. For our meal, we did not following Kosher Passover rules; we simply recalled some symbolic aspects.)
2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add warm water, a little at a time. Knead for about 10 minutes until dough feels elastic. Set aside for 15 minutes. Knead again, then form 2-inch-wide balls. With a rolling pin, flatten dough balls. Sprinkle with flour as needed. Place each flattened ball in a greased frying pan (cast iron preferred) one at a time on low-to-medium heat. Flip a few times until slightly browned and cooked through. Makes about three dozen. Best when served warm.

Do you have any Holy Week or Easter traditions? I’d love for you to leave a comment and share them.