Dear people of Grace,

Let’s talk about peace. The Peace.

The “kiss of peace” is an ancient tradition of the Christian Church. St. Paul signs off many of his letters with some form of “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Justin Martyr (ca. 100-165), in his First Apology, includes a description of worship in the early Church: “On finishing the prayers we greet each other with a kiss.” To this day, in the Orthodox Church the clergy will still exchange a holy kiss, on the lips, at the Peace. In the Western Church, however, reviewing ancient liturgical texts we start to see a shift from a “kiss of peace” to a “sign of peace” before finally the Latin form becomes simply known as “The Peace,” or Pax.

The most obvious reason for exchanging the peace is because Jesus did it. In coherence with ancient Near Eastern custom, Jesus often offered peace to those he met: “Peace be with you” (eg. Luke 24.36 or John 20.21); “Go in peace” (eg. Mark 5.34 or Luke 7.50). Our exchanging of peace continues this tradition of love.

On a deeper level, exchanging the peace is about reconciliation. Towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus says “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift” (Matt 5.23-24). In our modern liturgical rite, the passing of the peace marks this event. It is a time to actively seek out those you disagree with; it is a time to reach out to those with whom you need to reconcile. It is a symbolic gesture of peace towards our fellow Christians.

Partaking in communion when there is open division with another member is damaging to the Body of Christ. It is vital that we come to the table as One, placing our differences aside, being reconciled to one another. St. Paul goes even further, suggesting “Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves” (1 Cor 11.28–29). Exchanging the Peace before we transition into The Great Thanksgiving is no accidental placement in the liturgy. In fact, even in our modern liturgical Rite, the Peace can be moved to right before the distribution of the bread and wine to the congregation, intentionally pulling us back to the moment of self-examination in Matthew 5.23.

Because of this, at the Peace there are essentially only three different exchanges we can have with our neighbors: “Peace be with you/Please forgive me/I forgive you.” Passing the Peace is a liturgical act, not a moment of fellowship or conversation.

One of the biggest challenges for us at The Peace is that the action itself, the shaking of hands or a brief hug, are typical, everyday gestures of kindness and warmth. Unfortunately, this familiarity with the ritual tends to dwarf the symbolism of what the Peace actually stands for within the context of worship. As a colleague of mine shared recently, we get so caught up in the mechanics of hand shaking during the Peace that we can forget why we pass the Peace in the first place. Is it about shaking the right hands, or about broadcasting peace and reconciliation throughout the Body, so that we may approach the altar with a pure heart?

Passing the Peace is a point in the service where quality surpasses quantity: passing the peace with good intention – consciously spreading love and reconciliation – is far more important than the number of people we share the peace with.

A final thought: Consider the similarities between the Peace and the way we pass candlelight to each other on the Easter Vigil or at a Christmas Eve service. We receive light from one person and we give it to another. We don’t need to step out of our pews and yet light fills the church within a couple of minutes. We know that we are not personally responsible for ensuring that light is spread throughout the sanctuary – and yet it still happens. Light and peace can quickly spread through a community that is at harmony with itself.

Peace be with you all.
Deacon Nick