Second Sunday of Easter
Reading – Acts 5: 27-32; Psalm 118: 14-29; Revelation 1: 4-8; John 20: 19-31
In the late 1960’s and into the 1970’s the Episcopal Church was developing a revised Book of Common Prayer. It was well passed time to revise the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. We were also in the midst of the contentious and heated time of the war in Vietnam. The Prayer Book Revision Committee of the General Convention reviewed early 16th century, pre-Reformation liturgies, and they rediscovered “The Passing of the Peace”. The two paper back drafts for parish use were the “Green Book” (it had a green cover), and the second was the “Zebra Book” (it had a diagonal stripped cover). Both drafts included “The Passing of the Peace” that was to be more than a greeting from the priest to the congregation. People were encouraged to get out of their pews and to circulate, while sharing the peace with each other.
I remember instructing young acolytes in the passing of the peace. They were to go from the sanctuary into the congregation. They were to extend their hand; they were to smile; they were to look the other in the eye; and they were to be firm in the handshake. Some needed more coaching than others. I talked with them about this new ingredient of our worship, and their new responsibility as acolytes. In the midst of those troubling times, to extend “the Peace of the Lord” to others was not always an easy or simple gesture. There were some members who would just sit and stare at their feet; others stood but crossed their arms over their chests; some knelt in prayer.
This enriching of our worship is rooted in the reading from the Gospel according to St. John for today. On Easter evening the disciples were huddled in the locked upper room out of fear that they would be the next to be hung on a cross. Jesus appeared among them, and said to that fearful gathering, “Peace be with you”. Shalom. This greeting puts the other first, “Peace be with you”. Jesus took the initiative! Not just once, but twice in our reading this morning. In the midst of their terror, “Peace be with you”.
Remember that that peace was not cheap. You might even say, it cost Jesus his life. He extended peace to all whom he encountered. In the upper room he showed them the cost, his pierced hands and pierced side. It was indeed costly.
I suggest that sharing the Peace of Jesus, the Peace of God, can be costly. It is costly because it is not just a liturgical gesture, it encourages a life-style, as it was for Jesus. It is extending your hand, extending your smile, making eye contact. It is being a member of what the author of Revelation called, “the kingdom of priests”. Passing the Peace of God (beyond your own peace) puts oneself out there; extending one’s hand to another makes one more vulnerable. Is it as expensive as a nailing or as a spear-thrust, of course not, but it does move us out of our usual comfort zone.
Our proper collect for today addresses Jesus establishing “the new covenant of reconciliation”. Reconciliation begins with an extended hand, with a smile, with a firm hand shake, with eye contact, and with sharing “the Peace of God” that really does surpass all understanding.
This is our ministry as the “priesthood of all believers”, as the “kingdom of priests”. This is modeled in the liturgy, and continues step by step, day by day.
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, and who walks with us as the Easter People step by step and day by day.
Amen
