Quite honestly I've been pondering the eating of pork for Easter. Today is Palm Sunday in the Christian world and it marks the beginning of Holy Week. It often nearly closely corresponds to the timing of Passover, which of course last also one week. So my question is this: The Christian religion was founded by Jesus, known as the Christ, who was a Jewish man. So why would Christians, who are celebrating the resurrection of Christ, eat Ham of all things???? Ham is not on the acceptable list of Jewish foods. Nor would we exactly call it: "Kosher for Passover". So why?
Well, as it often is, the history of the ham is more a corruption of things than a religious tradition. Where to begin. Perhaps we should start with Peter. Honestly, of all the disciples, Peter has always been my favorite. He's the guy who is so damn loyal, so wanting to do the right thing, a man who really believes that Jesus is the son of God, but yet, like any of us, drops the ball quite frequently. I gotta respect that in a person!!!! Despite it all, it's Peter who gets the dream/vision that is written about in Acts 10:13. A line that I can only hear in a Long Island accent (or the voice of Lois from "Family Guy").
Here it is: Rise Peter, Kill and eat. That's the Biblical interpretation of basically saying you no longer have to be Kosher. Ok, so that's when the Bible okays the Easter ham....got it! But did my swarthy little pagan ancestors in Wales? Probably not, and here is where the rest of the Easter food tradition comes to play. The Pagans, of course, were more than happy to be rid of winter and welcomed the rebirth of spring. So they celebrated. If a spring lamb was found they ate it, if there was nothing but salted pork, they ate it. Either way, their expression was one of thanksgiving to ending the winter and moving into fertility again. One of the biggest representations of rebirth was an egg. So that’s where the egg custom originated. It seems Americans were more likely to eat ham for Easter than lamb. So I guess, it was all about availability. Weird…not religious at all! So what more can I write about this holiday, which should, by all accounts, be the highest of high holy days in the Christian calendar?
I did a bunch of internet searches and found some interesting perspectives. I liked this one from a reverend in Michigan who realizes that sometimes, even folks who call themselves Christians just don’t get it.
I was also pondering…beyond the eating of ham (which just seemed so blasphemous somehow) that Easter was such a lonely English word. Indeed, wikipedia gave me a plethora of names for the event, most of which are derivations on the word pesach which is Hebrew for Passover. The English word is derived from Eostre, the goddess of fertility. Mind boggling! My point? I don’t feel comfortable eating ham on Easter. To me, Easter is a Jewish holiday and eating ham on that day is blasphemous!
Now, I am more Buddhist and Pagan than Jewish or Christian, however, my idea of celebration is more routed in the cycles of nature. Easter makes sense to me, but even then, not ham. What foods make sense when celebrating an awakening from the “death” of winter? Horseradish and parsnips! They both winter over and are usually the first to be ready in the spring. Yes, I agree also with lamb and eggs as early spring symbols, and also with any early plant you might be able to cultivate given your zone.
Now, I am more Buddhist and Pagan than Jewish or Christian, however, my idea of celebration is more routed in the cycles of nature. Easter makes sense to me, but even then, not ham. What foods make sense when celebrating an awakening from the “death” of winter? Horseradish and parsnips! They both winter over and are usually the first to be ready in the spring. Yes, I agree also with lamb and eggs as early spring symbols, and also with any early plant you might be able to cultivate given your zone.
