Peace for the World

John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”  When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained

Peace be with you!
Shalom be with you all!

Lord,
we need your peace.
We need your shalom.
Our world needs well-being for ALL.

More and more,
I see people locked
behind closed doors,
behind closed hearts
because of FEAR.

Fear is a powerful emotion,
a base emotion
that moves us
to fight or to flee.
It takes hard work to overcome
that animal instinct
toward violence for survival
or escape for survival.

And yet, Lord,
you show us a third option--
non-anxious presence,
compassionate listening,
committing for the LONG HAUL,
holding on, like Jacob,
not letting go until blessing comes. (see Genesis 32:26)

Send us by the power of your Holy Spirit
to be that kind of Peace:
non-anxious presence,
compassionate listening,
committing for the LONG HAUL,
holding on,
not letting go until blessing comes

Peace for the world!
Amen.