In today’s Gospel Story (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20) Jesus sends his disciples out in pairs to bring his message and his peace to towns where he had not yet been but was planning to visit. He says the message they are bringing might not always be popular. He tells them to travel light — “no money bag, no sack, no sandals”, and to greet people with, “Peace be to this household”, and be ready for unexpected, maybe unpleasant, reaction. The majority report sees this as a nice story about Jesus spreading the Gospel. As usual, the minority report can see it in many different ways.
Each of us hears the Story through the filter of whatever is going on in our life when we hear or read it. These days there is a lot going on both worldwide and close to home. The Alleluia Verse prepares us, or sets the mood, for our hearing the story: “Alleluia, alleluia. Let the peace of Christ control your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”. Christ, Abba, the Spirit, come to us where we are in our life, and with what we need in our life here and now, today. Today maybe we need to be open to the possibility of peace where we are and as we live today. I know I do.
The question is not how I get the peace of Christ, but how I bring it to others that I meet every day. Peace is not a thing, but the fruits of a relationship. We share it just by being open to Abba in ordinary everyday happenings. The disciples are told to say, “peace to this household”, and really to believe it happens. Whatever our household may be large or small, we have the opportunity to bring peace. It may be rejected, but that is not our problem. No doubt we will be surprised that we even have peace in us to offer, and so if the peace is refused, we offer returns to us. This might take some getting used to. Peace in our life does not depend on what is going on around us, but on how we are open to Abba in the depths of our life no matter what is going on around us.
Peace is a way of living, and it can be hard work. It certainly has been that way for me. I find It difficult to lay aside me need to know and have a sense of control, especially in my everyday living conditions and situations, which ,as we all know, are not always nice and pleasant. My prayer is along the lines of may I have enough light to see a divine sense in this mad world, and enough faith to follow the light. As I pray, it seems in a sense to be happening.
In the Story Jesus sends his disciples to places he has not yet been, to cross boundaries they are not yet aware of. Could it be he is sending me to places and situations I am not yet aware of? I tend to think at times that I have the answers to what is going on, but could it be that I don’t even understand the questions? There are some good army terms for how I feel I about all this, but they certainly are not appropriate for here.
Jesus sent his people out in total vulnerability — no money, no sack, no sandals. What is this saying to me? Whatever the situation I’m in, it cannot be about me. It has to be about the “peace of Christ” that I am being asked to bring to the situation, whatever it may be, even though I have no idea how to do it, or what it means in particular circumstances. Whatever is going on, “The kingdom of God is at hand for you”. In our dynamically confused, polarized, and hurting world, the kingdom of God is at hand for us. As many would say, “so what?”. While for some very specific reasons I really want to be less and less involved the the messy affairs of life, both internationally and locally, I’m not sure this is what Abba is asking of me. As all of us can say, I’ve seen hurt and suffering all around me most of my life. Some I have been able to ease or take away, some I have caused. These days as I see good people suffering, feeling ignored, betrayed, etc, both locally and not, I wonder what Abba is asking of me now.
I believe in the peace of Christ. At times I have known it most profoundly and powerfully. How can I bring it to others? My sphere of influence is very small at this point in my life. The boundaries that I see, are they real, or are they things I have set up to protect myself and my interests? Walter Brueggemann: “The truth is that frightened people will never turn the world, because they use too much energy on protection of self . . . the unafraid are open to the neighbor, while the frightened are defending themselves from the neighbor”. Something to think about here, maybe even to pray about.
This is neither the time nor the place for philosophizing expounding on theories. It is both the time and place for being quiet with Abba. Not asking or thanking, but just being quiet. Each of us, as we are, where we are, with whomever we are, is where we need to be for the peace of Christ to happen in and around us. And so, while it seems to make no sense, everybody in my life has the right and the need to be in my life, whether I like it or not, because in the providence of Abba I need them and they need me here and now. This can be a list difficult thing to grasp, to accept, but it is at least my reality, and this is where I am called to live my relationship with Abba.
It is important to remember that darkness is a part of life, of growing on the journey. It can approach being overpowering. Christ is the light that helps us see in the darkness. While this is difficult, it is also very real. When we get through the darkness we realize we are different and in a different place on your journey. Everyone in my life is a necessary part of my journey through the darkness whenever and however they appear., and the light of Christ helps me see this, but only if I am willing and open. I exclude anyone at my own peril, and I certainly will not know the peace of Christ. I speak from experience. I am on a journey, and I make choices all the time. Just sayin . . .