Words of Peace
Shalom -- Salaam -- Shanti -- Peace
All of the world's major religions place value on Peace--peace of mind, peace in relationships, peaceful coexistence with the natural world. As this COVID-19 situation goes on and on, we are all likely seeking peace in our lives.
We yearn for peace of mind in the face of an unending stream of bad news.
We pray for peace and protection for healthcare workers, EMTs, caregivers, law enforcement personnel, grocery workers, truckers, custodians--everyone whose lives have been turned upside down by caring for the rest of us in this time of crisis.
As days turn into weeks turn into months sharing limited space in stressful conditions with family members...we may need to add "peace in our relationships" to our peace list. Our whole human society is off-balance right now--and this reflects the longtime imbalance in our treatment of the natural world and all its resources. So the peace we seek in nature may only come when we are able to genuinely nurture the human/creation balance once again.
For us as Christians, peace is a theme from the very beginning of the gospels. The angels sing at Jesus' birth: Peace on earth, goodwill to all people. Jesus calms the storm by saying, Peace! Be still! In his farewell to the disciples, Jesus offers them: Peace I give to you. My peace I leave with you. And when Jesus appears to the disciples after the Resurrection, he greets them with: Peace be with you. "Passing the Peace" is still a part of many Christian worship services, where worshipers greet each other saying, "Peace be with you" and respond with "And also with you."
For all of our religious attention to peace, it is still in very short supply these days. We are confused, angry, frustrated, lonely, fearful and grieving--and none of these things leads naturally to Peace in any of its forms. So we must reach beyond ourselves to discover the path to peace.
The path lies in being outdoors, gardening, or simply enjoying the budding beauty of spring. It lies in our personal contacts with friends and loved ones--in person or by phone or however we can connect. The path to peace lies in the wisdom of our Scriptures, and in the centuries-long tradition of walking with Jesus through the events of Holy Week. The path to peace lies in us closing our eyes and breathing deeply, allowing the stress and pain to leave us as we exhale, and welcoming in the Light and Life of Christ as we inhale. Try it for several in-out breaths...if you can truly breathe out all that is worrying you, you can create space for God's Peace to dwell in you.
On a day when we have lost such a wonderful, loving, lively man as Stuart Porter, it may be hard to breathe in Peace. But I urge you to try, and to ask the Spirit to offer this gift to cling to--the gift of Peace That Passes All Our Understanding--the Peace of Jesus Christ. Just Breathe.
Shalom - Judaism (Hebrew language)
Salaam - Islam (Arabic)
Shanti - Hinduism (Urdu) Also Shanthi - Buddhism (Sanskrit)
Peace
Peace and all good,
Pastor Jean
All of the world's major religions place value on Peace--peace of mind, peace in relationships, peaceful coexistence with the natural world. As this COVID-19 situation goes on and on, we are all likely seeking peace in our lives.
We yearn for peace of mind in the face of an unending stream of bad news.
We pray for peace and protection for healthcare workers, EMTs, caregivers, law enforcement personnel, grocery workers, truckers, custodians--everyone whose lives have been turned upside down by caring for the rest of us in this time of crisis.
As days turn into weeks turn into months sharing limited space in stressful conditions with family members...we may need to add "peace in our relationships" to our peace list. Our whole human society is off-balance right now--and this reflects the longtime imbalance in our treatment of the natural world and all its resources. So the peace we seek in nature may only come when we are able to genuinely nurture the human/creation balance once again.
For us as Christians, peace is a theme from the very beginning of the gospels. The angels sing at Jesus' birth: Peace on earth, goodwill to all people. Jesus calms the storm by saying, Peace! Be still! In his farewell to the disciples, Jesus offers them: Peace I give to you. My peace I leave with you. And when Jesus appears to the disciples after the Resurrection, he greets them with: Peace be with you. "Passing the Peace" is still a part of many Christian worship services, where worshipers greet each other saying, "Peace be with you" and respond with "And also with you."
For all of our religious attention to peace, it is still in very short supply these days. We are confused, angry, frustrated, lonely, fearful and grieving--and none of these things leads naturally to Peace in any of its forms. So we must reach beyond ourselves to discover the path to peace.
The path lies in being outdoors, gardening, or simply enjoying the budding beauty of spring. It lies in our personal contacts with friends and loved ones--in person or by phone or however we can connect. The path to peace lies in the wisdom of our Scriptures, and in the centuries-long tradition of walking with Jesus through the events of Holy Week. The path to peace lies in us closing our eyes and breathing deeply, allowing the stress and pain to leave us as we exhale, and welcoming in the Light and Life of Christ as we inhale. Try it for several in-out breaths...if you can truly breathe out all that is worrying you, you can create space for God's Peace to dwell in you.
On a day when we have lost such a wonderful, loving, lively man as Stuart Porter, it may be hard to breathe in Peace. But I urge you to try, and to ask the Spirit to offer this gift to cling to--the gift of Peace That Passes All Our Understanding--the Peace of Jesus Christ. Just Breathe.
Shalom - Judaism (Hebrew language)
Salaam - Islam (Arabic)
Shanti - Hinduism (Urdu) Also Shanthi - Buddhism (Sanskrit)
Peace
Peace and all good,
Pastor Jean
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