Peaceful greeting

I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who serves the church at Cenchreae. Receive her in the Lord’s name, as God’s people should, and give her any help she may need from you; for she herself has been a good friend to many people and also to me.

I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow­-workers in the service of Christ Jesus; they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well. Greetings also to the church that meets in their house. (verses 1-5a)

Read Romans 16:1-16

At a wedding of a Maori couple in New Zealand, I saw two Maori men touch foreheads and noses and speak unheard words of blessing and care to each other. The greeting was given and received.

At many churches there is that time in the service when people are invited to greet one another with the ‘peace of the Lord’. It is a great moment, even if usually done with a handshake rather than a rubbing of the noses!

We Christians have all the peace of Christ with which to greet one another, and so we bear the peace won by Jesus on the cross for the world to the world and to each other. Such wide and deep consequences from such a very simple and very human act.

Bear the peace well today, for you live in the peace borne by Christ for you.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, give me your peace today, so that I may bear it well for my brothers and sisters. Amen.

by Adrian Kitson, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)

Visit the Daily Devotion archives page.