Peace, Peace

Throughout the world, throughout time really, the universal greeting has been "Peace."

Why? Because at the root of every human is a desire to see peace come to our families, our lives, and our world.

And yet, making peace is one of the most difficult things we can do in this life. Which is why Jesus left it until near the very end of the list of Beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount.

So often we will hear someone suggest to us to "just do this" or "don't do that" to "maintain the peace." But that is not really peace - that is a lack of conflict.

True peace is something deeper.

The Hebrew word for peace, shalom, means not just peace, but someone's welfare, health, and safety, prosperity and flourishing, that a person is whole or complete. Such peace cannot be found merely by removing sources of dissension and discord, but there must also be the presence of chesed and tzedek: God's faithful and tenacious presence in our lives, which causes us to be the same to others, and God's equitable justice tied to God's own character, which causes us to seek the same for every other human on the planet.

Making peace is not about finding tranquility. It is about actively seeking justice through solidarity so others can find wholeness. That is why it is one of the most difficult beatitudes to follow. And yet, if we are one of Christ's followers, it is what we are called to intentionally and consistently do.

See you Sunday!

Blessings,

Rev. Janie