Wednesday Wonder – December 11, 2024

During this second week of Advent we focus on peace. Last week it was hope. One of our hopes is always for a world at peace. What do we mean when we search for peace? What is it we seek?

The dictionary defines peace in two ways: 1) freedom from disturbance, tranquility; 2) state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended. We definitely want the second for our world, but I think it is the first we seek for ourselves directly.

What disturbs us? Some of us take on the cares of the whole world and that keeps us disturbed. Some of us take on too many things for our ‘to do’ lists and that keeps us from tranquility. Some of us just find the daily grind can leave us both disturbed and lacking in tranquility. Often, we blame time, or the lack thereof, for not finding peace. That is why books about time management and productivity seem to abound. If only we can get a handle on all we have to do we will find some peace. Maybe, but there is more to peace than a momentary freedom from disturbance or a fleeting feeling of tranquility.

What we are looking for is a deep and abiding peace. We are looking for ‘the peace that passes all understanding.’ We are looking for the peace Jesus gave his disciples and promised to us. During the Advent season that is the peace we are anticipating, watching and waiting for. We want that ‘peace on earth and goodwill to all.’

The Hebrew word ‘shalom’ is closer to what we seek perhaps. It expresses something close to ‘may you be full of well-being’ or ‘may health and prosperity be upon you.’ That seems to express what we hope and seek this time of year, all year really. We all want to experience that sense of well-being that only our faith can truly offer. There is more a sense of peace or shalom when we know that God through Christ is with us. And this time of year, we are reminded that God-with-us, is a fact.

As you go about your preparations for Christmas, see family and friends to celebrate, attend worship, look at the lights around town, even while you do your last minute shopping, give yourself permission to feel some of that peace we seek. In each encounter God is there, time for us to listen, hear and see that this is true.

Yes, this time of year can be frustrating. The family doesn’t all get along, or someone is being a bit of a Grinch or a Scrooge, or you feel the Christ is missing from the Christmas celebrations at times, but if we look within and beyond these things, we see God is there. God is with us in the good and the not so good. Whatever comes our way this year, God is right there too. It is God who gives us the strength to deal with what comes. And it is God, who gives that sense of peace, however fleeting it may be.

The peace defined by the dictionary is a fleeting peace, a temporary way of being. The peace expressed by shalom, is a more permanent state of being. We call this baby whose birth we anticipate, the Prince of Peace. That peace is shalom peace. That peace is always there, always offered, always free for the taking. That is the gift of Christmas.

So this week, I sign off with…
Shalom,

Rev. Mary-Jane