Sufficiently Blessed

Dayenu! ~ song from Passover celebration

Dayenu means it would have been enough for us and is a song used during the Passover Seder meal. Annually I celebrate this feast with friends. Tonight a large group of us gathered to share the Seder. Three hours later, we completed the meal, interspersed with the readings and songs.

Dayenu has become, in recent years, the highlight of the event for me personally. The song underscores the joy of gratitude to God for all the gifts bestowed upon us. Each verse adds something more spectacular and yet, if it went no further, the blessing would have been sufficient. If God had split the sea for us, if God had lead us through on dry land, if God had drowned our oppressors, and so forth. Just one of these magnificent gifts would have been enough but instead, God lavishly continued to bless God’s people.

I think sometimes that I am so grateful for my life and all the blessings received that I can say Dayenu! Yet God continues to pour out on me grace and abundance. Fifty years of life is an accomplishment. Unlike some of my girlfriends from elementary school struggling with turning 50, I am grateful. As I said to someone recently, I have lived almost twice as long as my youngest sister. Why would I not be gracious about turning another year older?

God has given me many blessings and I don’t always remember to give praise for that but when I look at my life overall, I am content and humbled by all that has been orchestrated by the One who created me.

As we journey towards Holy Thursday which is about Jesus celebrating the Passover meal with his friends, can we too raise our voices with gratitude and shout, “Dayenu!”?

Peace,

Suzanne