The Peace of Christ

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. John 14:27

Over the Fourth of July weekend, Bill and I took a day trip into the Santa Cruz mountains. Going south allowed us to get out from beneath the marine layer and into the bright sunshine. After winding our way up insanely narrow roads alongside lots of bicyclists, we finally made it to the peak of Loma Prieta but it was worth the trek. The views from the top were spectacular and the vantage point way above the hustle and bustle below provided a different perspective. From up top, the world seemed peaceful and calm.
In the 14th chapter of Gospel according to John, on the night before he is crucified, Jesus promises to leave his followers his peace. On the surface, it is hard to imagine what that means given that in just a few hours Jesus will be arrested and sentenced to death. And yet, it is in the midst of turmoil when one needs the peace of Christ more than ever. Being in Christ, situates us in the larger story of salvation which God is undertaking for creation. It gives us a broader perspective that doesn’t lessen the horrors of the world but gives hope that this isn’t the final word and gives a vision for what creation could and will be like. It taps us into a source of calmness that helps us be part of solutions instead of contributing to the frenzy. With all the violence, unrest, division and war going on in the world these days, it is good to take a moment now and again to consider the broad perspective and rest in Christ’s peace so that we can in turn bring that peace into the world.  May the peace of Christ be with you always.

​Pastor Sue

The Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.
O master, let me not seek as much
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love,
For it is in giving that one receives,
It is in self-forgetting that one finds,
It is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
It is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.