In the
many traditions, passing the peace is an established element of worship.
Despite my congregation’s attention to liturgy, this particular part of the
liturgy is not yet something that has been included in our worship services.
I don’t
know the actual background for this practice, but today’s gospel reading was
from Matthew 5:21-24. Here Jesus is giving instruction about murder. It is one
of the “antithesis” statements of Jesus. You know, those statements where Jesus
says “you have heard it said…..but I say…” Generally, Jesus broadens the law he
is dealing with in ways that can make nearly anyone uncomfortable.
In this
particular antithesis, Jesus broadens the prohibition against murder to include
anger against another person. Anger against a brother or sister leaves one “subject
to judgment.”
Note
that Jesus does not say “anger against a brother or sister for no good reason
but if you have a good reason – e.g., that person has wronged you in some way –
go ahead and be angry.” Nope. Jesus simply says anger against your brother or
sister.
Just
after explaining this prohibition Jesus says, “Therefore…” – which is always a
word we should pay attention to – “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at
the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against
you, leave your gift in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to that
person; then come and offer your gift.”
Part of
worship is offering our gifts (praise, offerings, etc.) in response to God’s
gift of salvation. It seems like Jesus is saying, if you are not reconciled to
your brother or sister, get that taken care of first or your gift doesn’t mean
much. Or another way to put it might be ‘don’t bring your gifts to me until you
have taken the gift of reconciliation that I have offered to you, and offered that
gift to your brother or sister.’
So what
does passing the peace have to do with this? When we offer those around us the
peace of Christ, we are giving them the gift Christ has given us – peace. And
that is probably a good enough reason to do it.
But let
me tell a story. Some years ago, I happened to be sitting near someone who had
done a great wrong to a close family member who I loved very much. This wrong
was fresh, only a week or so old. When asked to pass the peace, I turned around
only to see this person. I didn’t want to offer him Christ’s peace. I wanted to
slap him. What I found, however, was that as I looked him in the eye and
reached out my hand to him and said, “the peace of Christ be with you,”
something inside me started to melt.
I
realized that whatever wrong he had done, he was no less deserving of Christ’s
peace than I was. He was God’s child the same as me. And that little tiny
gesture, allowed healing to begin in my heart.
When we
offer someone the peace of Christ, we are offering them life. And isn’t that
exactly the right thing to do in every worship service?
