Partly it’s an acknowledgment that we together are the body of Christ—that it matters that we are together and that we are a community. We aren’t simply individuals in a theater, assembling only to see what’s happening up front. Christianity isn’t a spectator sport, either: you participate each week by praying and singing as a body.
But there’s a rich history behind the specific practice, too. Tish Harrison Warren writes,
The practice of passing the peace has been part of Christian worship since the dawn of the church—and our early Christian brothers and sisters didn’t settle for a handshake or awkward side-hug; they kissed each other—a practice which emerged in part from the ancient Jewish custom of greeting guests with a kiss before a meal. Early Christians were so intent on ensuring that the passing of the peace was a time of real reconciliation and not a mere formality that in third-century Eastern churches a deacon would stand up during the passing of the peace and cry, “Is there any man that keepeth aught against his fellow?” Early Christians took seriously Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 that if someone is approaching the altar and remembers that their brother has something against them, they must leave and go make peace with the offended brother before offering a gift to God.
That emphasis on refusing to hold grudges in the Christian community is important, both for ourselves and for the community. Passing the peace was always a part of seminary chapel services: as we talked about thorny issues, there was inevitably some disagreement. But in chapel we acknowledged that nothing is more important than God, that worshiping together always takes precedence over disagreements, and that whatever the difference in our opinions, as Christians, we wished each other the peace of Christ. We were keeping our priorities in order each week, as we offered each other that peace.
So passing the peace will remain in our weekly worship service, giving us an opportunity to acknowledge our neighbors—and reminding us of whose we are, and what our priorities should be.
I’ll see you in church—
Becky
P.S. We’ll have another candidate for organist/pianist with us this week—please feel free to share your opinion with me or with Kathy Smith, who is head of SPRC.
Prayer
Gracious Lord,
Just as you calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee,
You calm the storms in our hearts,
Offering us a way of forgiveness and wholeness,
And healing our relationship with you.
Help us to offer that forgiveness to each other, too—
That that same healing can take place between us
As well as within us.
Teach us to value our relationships with each other,
And to understand truly
What it means to be the body of Christ together.
Give to us your vision of community,
That we might live into it, faithfully, together.
Amen.