Romans 16:1-16 NIV
Paul commends both men and women to the church at Rome; to work with and assist Phoebe in her ministry and to greet other servants of the Lord.
Greet one another with a holy kiss, he tells them. I am a hugger and a kisser. I have gotten pretty good at refraining from hugging people without their permission. I have to admit, though, that on rare occasions I sometimes slip and someone gets hugged who probably prefers that I not invade their space.
I remember when the "sharing of the peace" first became popular during Worship Services years ago. Many people were really put off by this "touching." We have come a long way since that time. Sometimes, I wonder if we've gone overboard. My congregation is filled with very welcoming and loving brothers and sisters in Christ. At Zion, the sharing of God's peace among those worshipping can sometimes take up to five minutes even though we are not a large congregation by any means. There are many holy kisses shared. I wonder, at times, if I should put a stop to it. Not! In these words; "God's peace" or "God's peace be with you" we are asking to have peace continue or in some cases to be restored between us. We are essentially asking for or granting absolution for any sins we may have committed against each other. We are asking that any walls that we may have built, knowingly or unknowingly, between us and others in the community, by our words or actions, be torn down and that we be reconciled to one another in Christ Jesus. The physical action that comes in shaking hands or sharing a holy kiss (or hug) can be likened to tearing down the wall between us even as the void between us is breached. By the time the sharing of the peace is accomplished, I am usually standing at the altar waiting; but, I refrain from stopping this display of Christian love and reconciliation. I remind myself that only God knows who in the congregation may need to be reconciled to one another with the peace of God before they receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I trust that He is doing that while I wait trying not to hurry His work along.
God's peace be with you all.
Pr. J.
Paul commends both men and women to the church at Rome; to work with and assist Phoebe in her ministry and to greet other servants of the Lord.
Greet one another with a holy kiss, he tells them. I am a hugger and a kisser. I have gotten pretty good at refraining from hugging people without their permission. I have to admit, though, that on rare occasions I sometimes slip and someone gets hugged who probably prefers that I not invade their space.
I remember when the "sharing of the peace" first became popular during Worship Services years ago. Many people were really put off by this "touching." We have come a long way since that time. Sometimes, I wonder if we've gone overboard. My congregation is filled with very welcoming and loving brothers and sisters in Christ. At Zion, the sharing of God's peace among those worshipping can sometimes take up to five minutes even though we are not a large congregation by any means. There are many holy kisses shared. I wonder, at times, if I should put a stop to it. Not! In these words; "God's peace" or "God's peace be with you" we are asking to have peace continue or in some cases to be restored between us. We are essentially asking for or granting absolution for any sins we may have committed against each other. We are asking that any walls that we may have built, knowingly or unknowingly, between us and others in the community, by our words or actions, be torn down and that we be reconciled to one another in Christ Jesus. The physical action that comes in shaking hands or sharing a holy kiss (or hug) can be likened to tearing down the wall between us even as the void between us is breached. By the time the sharing of the peace is accomplished, I am usually standing at the altar waiting; but, I refrain from stopping this display of Christian love and reconciliation. I remind myself that only God knows who in the congregation may need to be reconciled to one another with the peace of God before they receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion. I trust that He is doing that while I wait trying not to hurry His work along.
God's peace be with you all.
Pr. J.
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