Poem: “Peace Be With You” by Ann Weems

From the beginning it had been Peace.

It was the song of the angels in Bethlehem.

It was the song of Jesus, and Peter preached it to the people:

“You know the message God sent to the people of Israel,
preached peace by Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all.”

If we see Jesus, we know that he preached peace.

But the thing that’s so hard for us is this:

We do see Jesus, and we know Mary and Peter and all the others
believed that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.

But that was then and this is now and it is a different world.

We are a different people.

Can’t we disciple in a different way?

Not everyone can preach peace.

Can’t we be on the kitchen committee?

Can’t we make more rules?

Can’t we write a check?

And yet, and yet, and yet, he said,

As God sent me, I send you.