Peace as Shalom
Sermon
THE SEVENFOLD PATH TO PEACE
SEVEN LENTEN SERMONS
Our bus pulled off the highway onto an overpass, where it stopped. The road up from Lod airport, near Tel Aviv, had displayed to us the remnants of the wars of Israel. Shelled-out tanks and armored personnel carriers were preserved where they had fallen, as memorials to the men who had fought and died there.
Now our eyes were turned eastward, where we could see our first view of Jerusalem. The tour guide invited me to offer prayer. It is only from the vantage point of a year later, that I can now place a little round-headed pin on the map of my life-journey, to mark that spot as a particularly significant point in life.
There, with a group of Phoenix civic and religious leaders, I was granted the rare privilege and emotionally moving opportunity to lead Christians and Jews in prayer to a common God.
The words of Psalm 122 came to mind,
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you!
Peace be within your walls, and
security within your towers!
For my brethren and companions' sake
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
There is more in the name Jerusalem than meets the eye of those of us who speak only English. In popular Jewish thought (if not in the technical analysis of root words), Jerusalem comes from two words: "Jeru" - which means "foundation or city," and "Shalem" - which means "whole or complete."
Foundation of wholeness ... city of completeness. But even more important, for our consideration today, is the fact that from the word Shalem or Salem, comes the word "Shalom" - Peace.
Pray for the Shalom of the city of wholeness.
Shalom be within your walls.
Shalom be to this house.
City of Peace!
In order to orient you as to where we are on the "Sevenfold Path to Peace" which we have been taking on this Lenten series of worship services, let's briefly take a look back.
First, with the question, "Is peace attainable?" we determined that the answer lies within each one of us, for it is first in our minds that war and peace are made.
Secondly, the path leads us to the desirability of peace, specifically as it grows out of our own need for justice, and the need of the world for justice. Where there is no justice, there is no peace.
Thirdly, we arrived at the place of peace-making, recognizing that there is a price to be paid, an intentional personal effort to be made and, most fundamentally, Christ to be centered on.
Today's step is that of Shalom.
Frederick Buechner, Vermont's resident interpreter of biblical concepts, writes of peace in his book, Wishful Thinking,
Peace has come to mean that time when there aren't any wars or even when there aren't any major wars. Beggars can't be choosers; most of us settle for that. But in Hebrew peace, Shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself ... for Jesus peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle but the presence of love.1
Harold Wilke is a man who was born without arms. It was not possible to fit him with artificial limbs. He told me of an incident when he was about six years old. A neighbor lady was visiting his mother. Harold was continuing the process of learning to use his feet to care for himself, including feeding himself, which he does with graceful dexterity. But, on that particular occasion, he was attempting to put on a shirt and having an awful time of it. His mother, with pursed lips and clenched hands, was using every ounce of will power to resist helping him in his protracted struggle. The neighbor, not fully comprehending, said to Harold's mother, "Don't you love him enough to help?" To which his mother replied, with tears in her eyes, "I am helping him."
Shalom is love which teaches self-reliance. That kind of love is fundamental to personal peace and worldly peace.
Secondly, Shalom is peace with self-discipline.
A man came recently, seeking counsel. An acquaintance from some years prior was in jail, and had appealed to my friend to put up some collateral for bail-bond. The detained man, in his twenties, had a history of minor felonies.
"He just has never grown up," said my friend.
"Why not?" I inquired.
"Well, his father belongs to the Mafia. And he has always made it easy for him ... but I think if I showed him some Christian love, I could help turn him around. That's what the Bible seems to be telling me."
My friend had been through an agonizing personal struggle with drugs and lack of self-discipline. At one point, other people had had to govern his life because he refused to rule his own behavior.
"What changed you?" I asked.
"When God taught me that I was going to lose everything if I kept running away."
"What does your friend in jail need most?"
"To confront the reality of his behavior," said my visitor.
"Will bail-bond help?"
He smiled, embraced me, and said, "I know now what not to do."
God's Shalom, with which we are entrusted, helps to stabilize those who will learn from the firmness of love which cares enough to set limits.
Thirdly, Shalom is a gift of peace from God.
These are the instructions Jesus gave to the seventy disciples he sent out to do the work of faith.
Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road, Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house!" And if a (child) of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon (that person); but if not, it shall return to you.
Jesus went on to describe the horrible consequences of rejecting the peace which is brought by God's servants.
Shalom is not a casual greeting, not simply a word of farewell, like "Hello!" or "Goodbye!" The salute, the verbal greeting, and salutation are ways of displaying the fact that the greeter is unarmed and intends no evil. With them, we say, "Don't worry, friend, I'm not going to attack."
Shalom is more profound than that. When I offer you Shalom, I am giving you God's love that is in me. Shalom is intensely personal and caring. It is not casual, but carries with it the power of healing. The people who are vehicles of Shalom convey the essence of God's Holy Spirit to others. It is self-giving.
Those who refuse the gift condemn themselves, according to Jesus. It is not that God will pour out Divine vengeance on them, but that they have refused to accept God's Shalom. By definition, the absence of God is the absence of peace. That is a real definition of hell!
Although I've described Shalom in terms of love which teaches self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-giving, the focus on self is not really accurate. The focus is really on God. Reliance on God, discipline by God, and giving to God.
Shalom is, then, fulfillment in God.
A woman who worshiped with us, for some months, in the knowledge of her approaching death, provided me with a copy of the composition which was found in St. Paul's Church in Baltimore in 1692. Its unknown author captures something of the essence of God's fulfilling Shalom.
"Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence as far as possible without surrender. Be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, for they too have their story.
"Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
"Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortune of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery, but let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals and everywhere life is full of heroism.
"Be yourself, expecially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of acridity and dis-enchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
"Nurture strength of spirit to shield you from sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with imaginings; many fears are borne out of distress and loneliness.
"Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself, you are a child of God of the Universe ... No less than a tree or the stars, you have a right to be here and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should, therefore be at peace with God whatever you conceive him to be and whatever your labor or aspirations.
"In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul with all its shames, and broken dreams. It is still a beautiful world ..."
• Shalom is the peace of Godly fulfillment.
• Shalom is love which teaches Godly reliance.
• Shalom is peace which comes with Godly discipline.
• Shalom is peace which comes with Godly giving.
• Shalom is attainable and desirable.
• Shalom is intentional and loving.
Now we are ready to take the next step on the Sevenfold Path to Peace.
Prayers of the Church
Lord, teach me to love.
Teach me to love in such a way and with so much caring, that those I love can stand on their own, creating no burden for others ... but Lord, when by reason of circumstance, they can no longer stand, still let me love - love with Shalom, so I will have the strength of your love to bear the load.
Lord, teach me self-discipline.
Teach me self-discipline in the little things that I might be strong in the big things. Stay me from temptation, especially the temptation of leaping to the rescue of those who need to work out their own solutions. But Lord, when, by reason of circumstance, I see wrong being done, still let me love, love with Shalom which does not yield to the temptation to stand aloof and allow evil to go on unhindered.
Lord, teach me to give.
Teach me to give so much of the essence of yourself, that my giving will heal the recipient, bring wholeness and completeness to my environment, and will generate peace on earth. But Lord, when, by reason of circumstance, the gift is rejected, stay me from the temptation of vindictiveness, hate, or hostility, that I might live in the confidence of Shalom which knows that all things under the heavens are subject to your governance.
Lord, teach me of fulfillment.
Teach me of the fulfillment of Shalom, that with peace in my heart, mind, and relationships, I might lend fulfillment to others. But Lord, when I encounter those who are empty, stay me from the temptation of judging them unworthy of Shalom, so I might bring Shalom to them, in the manner of Jesus. Shalom, Shalom. Amen
1. Wishful Thinking, by Frederick Buechner (used by permission. Harper and Row, N.Y, 1973, p. 69.)
Now our eyes were turned eastward, where we could see our first view of Jerusalem. The tour guide invited me to offer prayer. It is only from the vantage point of a year later, that I can now place a little round-headed pin on the map of my life-journey, to mark that spot as a particularly significant point in life.
There, with a group of Phoenix civic and religious leaders, I was granted the rare privilege and emotionally moving opportunity to lead Christians and Jews in prayer to a common God.
The words of Psalm 122 came to mind,
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
May they prosper who love you!
Peace be within your walls, and
security within your towers!
For my brethren and companions' sake
I will say, "Peace be within you!"
There is more in the name Jerusalem than meets the eye of those of us who speak only English. In popular Jewish thought (if not in the technical analysis of root words), Jerusalem comes from two words: "Jeru" - which means "foundation or city," and "Shalem" - which means "whole or complete."
Foundation of wholeness ... city of completeness. But even more important, for our consideration today, is the fact that from the word Shalem or Salem, comes the word "Shalom" - Peace.
Pray for the Shalom of the city of wholeness.
Shalom be within your walls.
Shalom be to this house.
City of Peace!
In order to orient you as to where we are on the "Sevenfold Path to Peace" which we have been taking on this Lenten series of worship services, let's briefly take a look back.
First, with the question, "Is peace attainable?" we determined that the answer lies within each one of us, for it is first in our minds that war and peace are made.
Secondly, the path leads us to the desirability of peace, specifically as it grows out of our own need for justice, and the need of the world for justice. Where there is no justice, there is no peace.
Thirdly, we arrived at the place of peace-making, recognizing that there is a price to be paid, an intentional personal effort to be made and, most fundamentally, Christ to be centered on.
Today's step is that of Shalom.
Frederick Buechner, Vermont's resident interpreter of biblical concepts, writes of peace in his book, Wishful Thinking,
Peace has come to mean that time when there aren't any wars or even when there aren't any major wars. Beggars can't be choosers; most of us settle for that. But in Hebrew peace, Shalom, means fullness, means having everything you need to be wholly and happily yourself ... for Jesus peace seems to have meant not the absence of struggle but the presence of love.1
Harold Wilke is a man who was born without arms. It was not possible to fit him with artificial limbs. He told me of an incident when he was about six years old. A neighbor lady was visiting his mother. Harold was continuing the process of learning to use his feet to care for himself, including feeding himself, which he does with graceful dexterity. But, on that particular occasion, he was attempting to put on a shirt and having an awful time of it. His mother, with pursed lips and clenched hands, was using every ounce of will power to resist helping him in his protracted struggle. The neighbor, not fully comprehending, said to Harold's mother, "Don't you love him enough to help?" To which his mother replied, with tears in her eyes, "I am helping him."
Shalom is love which teaches self-reliance. That kind of love is fundamental to personal peace and worldly peace.
Secondly, Shalom is peace with self-discipline.
A man came recently, seeking counsel. An acquaintance from some years prior was in jail, and had appealed to my friend to put up some collateral for bail-bond. The detained man, in his twenties, had a history of minor felonies.
"He just has never grown up," said my friend.
"Why not?" I inquired.
"Well, his father belongs to the Mafia. And he has always made it easy for him ... but I think if I showed him some Christian love, I could help turn him around. That's what the Bible seems to be telling me."
My friend had been through an agonizing personal struggle with drugs and lack of self-discipline. At one point, other people had had to govern his life because he refused to rule his own behavior.
"What changed you?" I asked.
"When God taught me that I was going to lose everything if I kept running away."
"What does your friend in jail need most?"
"To confront the reality of his behavior," said my visitor.
"Will bail-bond help?"
He smiled, embraced me, and said, "I know now what not to do."
God's Shalom, with which we are entrusted, helps to stabilize those who will learn from the firmness of love which cares enough to set limits.
Thirdly, Shalom is a gift of peace from God.
These are the instructions Jesus gave to the seventy disciples he sent out to do the work of faith.
Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road, Whatever house you enter, first say, "Peace be to this house!" And if a (child) of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon (that person); but if not, it shall return to you.
Jesus went on to describe the horrible consequences of rejecting the peace which is brought by God's servants.
Shalom is not a casual greeting, not simply a word of farewell, like "Hello!" or "Goodbye!" The salute, the verbal greeting, and salutation are ways of displaying the fact that the greeter is unarmed and intends no evil. With them, we say, "Don't worry, friend, I'm not going to attack."
Shalom is more profound than that. When I offer you Shalom, I am giving you God's love that is in me. Shalom is intensely personal and caring. It is not casual, but carries with it the power of healing. The people who are vehicles of Shalom convey the essence of God's Holy Spirit to others. It is self-giving.
Those who refuse the gift condemn themselves, according to Jesus. It is not that God will pour out Divine vengeance on them, but that they have refused to accept God's Shalom. By definition, the absence of God is the absence of peace. That is a real definition of hell!
Although I've described Shalom in terms of love which teaches self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-giving, the focus on self is not really accurate. The focus is really on God. Reliance on God, discipline by God, and giving to God.
Shalom is, then, fulfillment in God.
A woman who worshiped with us, for some months, in the knowledge of her approaching death, provided me with a copy of the composition which was found in St. Paul's Church in Baltimore in 1692. Its unknown author captures something of the essence of God's fulfilling Shalom.
"Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence as far as possible without surrender. Be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant, for they too have their story.
"Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
"Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortune of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery, but let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals and everywhere life is full of heroism.
"Be yourself, expecially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of acridity and dis-enchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
"Nurture strength of spirit to shield you from sudden misfortune, but do not distress yourself with imaginings; many fears are borne out of distress and loneliness.
"Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself, you are a child of God of the Universe ... No less than a tree or the stars, you have a right to be here and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should, therefore be at peace with God whatever you conceive him to be and whatever your labor or aspirations.
"In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul with all its shames, and broken dreams. It is still a beautiful world ..."
• Shalom is the peace of Godly fulfillment.
• Shalom is love which teaches Godly reliance.
• Shalom is peace which comes with Godly discipline.
• Shalom is peace which comes with Godly giving.
• Shalom is attainable and desirable.
• Shalom is intentional and loving.
Now we are ready to take the next step on the Sevenfold Path to Peace.
Prayers of the Church
Lord, teach me to love.
Teach me to love in such a way and with so much caring, that those I love can stand on their own, creating no burden for others ... but Lord, when by reason of circumstance, they can no longer stand, still let me love - love with Shalom, so I will have the strength of your love to bear the load.
Lord, teach me self-discipline.
Teach me self-discipline in the little things that I might be strong in the big things. Stay me from temptation, especially the temptation of leaping to the rescue of those who need to work out their own solutions. But Lord, when, by reason of circumstance, I see wrong being done, still let me love, love with Shalom which does not yield to the temptation to stand aloof and allow evil to go on unhindered.
Lord, teach me to give.
Teach me to give so much of the essence of yourself, that my giving will heal the recipient, bring wholeness and completeness to my environment, and will generate peace on earth. But Lord, when, by reason of circumstance, the gift is rejected, stay me from the temptation of vindictiveness, hate, or hostility, that I might live in the confidence of Shalom which knows that all things under the heavens are subject to your governance.
Lord, teach me of fulfillment.
Teach me of the fulfillment of Shalom, that with peace in my heart, mind, and relationships, I might lend fulfillment to others. But Lord, when I encounter those who are empty, stay me from the temptation of judging them unworthy of Shalom, so I might bring Shalom to them, in the manner of Jesus. Shalom, Shalom. Amen
1. Wishful Thinking, by Frederick Buechner (used by permission. Harper and Row, N.Y, 1973, p. 69.)
