Grace and Peace to You

The Apostle Paul consistently opens his letters with these words:

Grace and peace to you.

Grace comes from the Greek word charis, meaning gift. Sometime back our Parish Associate Bob Smith shared with us that his spiritual mentor defined grace as God’s unmerited, un-discourageable love. Other scholars tell us the word can be translated: joy, gift, pleasure, acceptance, favor. Another definition: Favor done without any expectation of return.

Wow!

The word peace comes from the Hebrew word Shalom – harmony – well-being. The Greek word is Irene – which means every kind of good. Joy, acceptance, unconditional love, and every kind of good to you.

Author and pastor Rob Bell points out that this greeting was used in every letter by someone who had spent considerable time in prison, even shackled in chains. This greeting, this blessing, this deep way of being was offered by someone who was often deprived of the basic necessities of life, someone who had been shipwrecked, stoned, beaten, and knew that he would eventually be killed. Even in the midst of great difficulty – there was a centering and an offering of grace and peace.

And for Paul, grace, and peace were not just for those who were close to him. Many in his congregations had hurt him; had wronged him.

Bell raises the question, “What would it be like to be so rooted and grounded in grace and peace that we could forgive people who may have wronged us, cheated us, stabbed us in the back? What would it be like to be people so soaked in grace and peace that we could extend these gifts even to those who have most broken our hearts? How would it feel to be able to let go?”

I don’t know about you, but I need grace and peace in my life.

When Paul begins his letters with the salutation: “Grace and peace to you,” he is reminding his people only of what they have already received from Christ, what we all have in received. And he is also reminding them that these are the same gifts they also have to share with each other and with the world. It is the foundation of each and every letter. And it is the foundation of our faith.

Grace and peace to each of you this day.

Let us pray: Thank you O God, for your acceptance, joy, unmerited favor, un-discourageable love, and well-being. May these, your gifts, wash over us and flow through us. Amen.