Peace
be with you. Growing up in the Catholic school system, this phrase was spoken
often as a ritual during each mass and celebration the school had. The priest
would say “Peace be with you” and we would respond, “And also with you”. In
addition to this, every mass, people would be prompted to greet each other,
much like we do, however instead of a “Good morning!” everyone offered a
greeting of “Peace”.
As strange as it
sometimes seemed to be using peace as a greeting, I've always thought peace was
such a pleasant word. It’s a word that people like to say, pursue, and adorn
their walls with. We like to have
peace, but how often do we give peace?
I think peace sounds
deceptively simple. It sounds so passive. It seems like peace is merely the
absence of action—when people shut their mouths and unclench their fists, we
have peace, right?
As I searched the Bible for references to peace, I thought it was
interesting how often, in the New Testament, peace was paired with ACTION words
like grace, mercy, and love. It seems
to me that peace was meant to be much more than a pleasant state of being that
we should be seeking for ourselves. Peace is something to be shared. But beyond
that, peace, as it turns out, is anything but passive! Peace requires relationship. Without relationship, peace doesn't exist… only silence exists, and anyone who’s ever been on the receiving
end of the silent treatment knows—there’s a big difference between silence and
peace.
So how do we make the
leap from passive silence to active peace? The answer lies in those action
words we often see peace paired up with—love and forgiveness. The bible says, “blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” God loves it
when his children are actively pursuing peace with others. He doesn't want us
to pretend to “play nice” with others, he wants us to pursue authentic relationships
where peace is a result of love and forgiveness.
I don’t know about you
guys, but sometimes I try to skate by on merely “playing nice” with others.
People annoy me and upset me. I get mad. I get frustrated. I've sometimes
fooled myself into thinking that I’m doing pretty good because I manage to keep
a lid on the bitterness boiling below the surface. However, I've come to
realize that God doesn't prize silence. God treasures peace. I need to love
people who annoy me and I need to forgive those who upset me. It is only then
that I am demonstrating the traits of a child of God.
Today, I would like to
say “Peace be with you” … not as a well-wish or as a greeting, but rather as a
challenge. We need to challenge ourselves to live each day in peace with others—actively
loving those around us, and forgiving them along the way. Are there people in
our lives we are engaged in battle with? Are there people in our lives we are
merely “playing nice” with? Who do we need to forgive? Who needs our love? Whether
they deserve it or not, God is asking us to give peace so that we can have it.
