Shalom

Have you ever “passed the peace” at a worship service? Recently I have been engaged in a theological conversation about the meaning of this time of greeting. Since I am the one who makes the invitation to this time of communal blessing, I am struggling. It seems that in order to be welcoming we can no longer use certain words … like peace?? Although I am one of the first persons to encourage losing archaic words which no longer have meaning in today’s language, I can’t believe the word peace has lost its meaning to the point that we can no longer use it. I confess I am very uncomfortable inviting people to just stand up and greet one another. What is the purpose of that within the context of the worship of God? Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I just need to let it go. But first I need to process it and express my thoughts …

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

This blessing is found in Numbers 6:24-26. The Hebrew word Shalom is translated peace. I think we tend to think of peace as simply the absence of chaos. However, when we bless others with peace in the sense of shalom we are invoking the deeper meaning of the Hebrew word … completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, and the absence of agitation or discord. As a Jewish rabbi, this sense of communal harmony of Shalom would have permeated the life of Jesus and informed the way he lived within the Jewish community. When Jesus appeared to the disciples in a post-resurrection episode, he greeted them “Peace be with you!” (See Luke 24:36b) Even though Greek translations use the word Eirene, translated peace and meaning national tranquility, peace between individuals, harmony, security, safety, prosperity, felicity … I am quite sure Jesus actually said Shalom!

As I have been brooding on this issue, I experienced a moment of synchronicity. While I was reading the book we’ll be studying at our next book discussion: You don’t have to be Wrong for me to be Right: Finding Faith without Fanaticism, Brad Hirschfield (who is a Jew) describes an experience he had during the “passing of the peace” at a Catholic Church in Poland. A bishop, knowing that he was present made “a beeline” toward him. Hirschfield says, “He took my hands in his hands and looked deep into my eyes and said, not in Polish, not in English, but in Hebrew, Shalom.” Overwhelmed by this gesture (and others) Hirschfield was moved to tears. And I am personally edified by this incarnational act of grace across lines of faith.

As we engage in the “passing of the peace” in the Christian church, we are not simply greeting one another with an ordinary “hello” that equals the hellos and goodbyes we say all the time without a second thought. We are engaging in a communal act of reconciliation, and we are promoting the general well-being of our community.

Thanks for listening … Peace, Cindy