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September 28, 2006

A Holy Kiss

In the oldest surviving letter written to the Christians living in the Macedonian capital of Thessalonica, composed as early as twenty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Apostle Paul ends his correspondence with these words: “Beloved, pray for us. Greet all the brothers and sisters with a holy kiss.” (1 Thessalonians 5:25-26)

In the two centuries that followed, this holy kiss that Paul described would become an important part of the Christian community’s celebration of the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper). And yes, it really was a kiss. When the presider said, “The peace of the Lord be always with you,” the Church understood that this was an opportunity to complete the process of reconciliation among those in impaired relationships before they approached God’s altar to eat the Body and drank the Blood (see Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:23-24). The primary purpose of the Peace was not a “meet and greet.” It was a time to restore the unity of the Body, all sealed with a kiss.

It isn’t by chance that I write, “Reconcile with those who had hurt them.” Jesus was clear about how the process of forgiveness among Christian believers was supposed to work. Named by some as the Matthew 18 Principle, Jesus had this to say to his disciples who often demonstrated their preference for holding onto hurts:

If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that the evidence of two or three witnesses may confirm every word. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:15-18)

In starting with the person who was hurt, Jesus shows us the brilliance of divine wisdom. He recognized that people sometimes could often be completely unaware that they have done anything to hurt their Christian sister or brother. Because the offending person is unaware of the wrong, forgiveness is never sought. Because forgiveness is never sought, resentment can fester in the wronged party. Resentment often needs company, so the wider body of believers is “infected” as the hurt is quietly shared. By asking the wronged party to initiate this process privately, the offending person can ask and receive forgiveness for the wronged action before bitterness sets in and others are swept into the conflict.

I know that many folks who worship at Beloved love the “social” aspect of the Peace. I know this because of the eruption of hugs and conversation that occurs after I say, “Please exchange with one another a sign of God’s peace.” Yet the Peace remains in our liturgy as a testimony…a testimony of the Christian community’s commitment to seek forgiveness rather than to remember wrongs. It is a visible and physical completion of the reconciliation process. It enables the community of believers to go forward to God’s Table and the world as one Body in the presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

The people of Thessalonica were drawn to the early Christian community because they didn’t act the way “normal” people did. They were witnesses of something better…fragile, imperfect people who showed every day how much they loved and forgave one another. May our Kiss of Peace empower us to live the same way.

J. Derek Harbin, priest

Around Beloved…The Beloved Beehive (Sunday Christian Formation) for adults and children does not meet this Sunday because of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School long holiday weekend. Sunday Christian Formation will resume the following Sunday (10/8)…Youth from St. Timothy Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem will be visiting Beloved this Sunday…Beloved’s Worker Bees (youth 9-12) and Metamorphosis (youth 12-15) will travel 10 kilometers together as Fusion in this year’s CROP Walk for hunger relief on October 15^th. All participants at Beloved are invited to join in the walk or sponsor a walker. Please if you’re approached by one of Beloved’s wonderful young people, be generous as “they walk because others walk.” Sponsor forms are available in the hospitality area after worship. If you are walking and/or a parent of the youth walking and are willing to drive a few of the youth uptown and back to Community House Middle School, please contact Miss Clifford at the Development Office…Fr. Derek woke early on Wednesday morning at the invitation of Donna Elyea to join students and faculty at Community House Middle School who gathered for the annual “Meet you at the Pole” event to offer prayers for their school and community…Operation Christmas Child is offering seasonal employment opportunities for those interested in temporary full-time work from mid-November through December. Skills needed are data entry keyers, cash processors, mail processors, team leaders, forklift operators, dock workers, shoebox processors and shoebox line workers. Interested? Call 888.202.0307 or email occjobschar@samaritan.org to schedule an employment interview.

Serving at God’s Altar this Sunday…Angel Army Team 4 (Captain: Fred Mellon; Administrator: Claire Kraft; Pastor: this ministry position is available for a Servant Member; Convener: Linda Mellon); Acolytes: Clare Harbin, Miles Harbin, Mitchell Harbin, Daniel Gibbs; Reader: Betsy Fox; Presenters: Nancy Montagnino, Nancy Weiler; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Anna Moore and Betsy Fox; Offertory Basket Passers: Emma Kraft, Katie Kraft, Carter Ricket, Madeline Ricket; PowerPoint: Kevin Krantz.

In our Prayers…Bishop Gary Gloster who is undergoing radiation treatment for Prostate Cancer at Duke Medical Center…those who have died or have been traumatized by the escalating violence in the Middle East and around the world...those serving in Iraq, especially Bob, Clifford King Harbin‘s nephew; Ron, Marilyn Doyon‘s brother-in-law; and Scott, Dan Hood's brother who is preparing to return to the States...Ned, father of Derek Harbin who is recuperating from a workplace injury that resulted in four broken ribs and a facial bone fracture…Palmer, Betsy Fox’s teenage cousin who has leukemia…Jacqui, niece of Deb and Dan Blackwood who is fighting breast cancer...Harriett, Kathy Raynor‘s mother who has cancer...Jessie Powell and Janie Lownes...Emily, Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter...Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma...Bucky, Sherrill Lowder's neighbor, who has lung cancer...Bryan McCarthy and Penny Crawford as they seek permanent employment...the staff and students of Community House Middle School…for Russ Smith (our missionary) whose father died this week.

Upcoming Calendar…click here