Peace Be With You
Peace Be With You….
After his resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples in the Upper Room and assures them several times: “Peace Be with You”. It has become the essential greeting to close out the Liturgy of the Word before we enter the Liturgy of the Table. It is an ancient greeting.
The Hebrew shalom and Arabic salaam both are used to greet one another. Deeper than just “hello”, these greetings offer the desire for peace, wholeness, and harmony for the other person.
I have had friends from Muslim and Orthodox cultures visit my home. Their first words upon entering are “Peace Be Upon this House”.
So when I offer the prayer each week during our Prayers of the People, I am praying for God’s perfect peace, God’s shalom, a dream of deep peace, wholeness, and harmony within our souls and peace, wholeness, harmony, reconciliation, restoration for all of God’s children in our broken world.
In a world of seemingly never-ending division, violence, and war, peace seems like a utopian pipe dream. I have faith that God will direct hearts and minds towards his dream of shalom. But I know that God wants us to do our part as well. The 20th century monastic Thomas Merton says “If you are yourself at peace, at least there is some peace in the world. Then share your peace with everyone and everyone will be at peace.” And of course the old song says “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
Over these past few months, I have attended Prayer Vigils for Peace, offering prayers for calm and comfort for all who are suffering violence and oppression, prayers for safety for those called to serve and protect.
Centering Prayer is one of my practices to deepen peace within my soul. My Centering Prayer sacred words are shalom/salaam. Contemplative walks in nature also bring peace to my soul.
In our turbulent times, I offer this ancient Celtic Prayer:
Deep peace of the running wave to you Deep peace of the flowing air to you Deep peace of the quiet earth to you Deep peace of the shining stars to you Deep peace of the son of peace to you
Shalom/Salaam/ God’s peace,
Judy Q
