In the Gospel this weekend Jesus is essentially talking about mending relationships, about restoring that which has been broken. And when I think about broken relationships I tend to think about “shalom”. The Hebrew word “shalom” we often translate into English as “peace” but as so often happens in translation, so much is lost when we translate from one language to another! “Shalom” means so very much more than just peace, so much more than just absence of war. Shalom means happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship and well-being, and right-relationship with God and with your neighbor…so much more!
In today’s Gospel, in a very real way Jesus is talking about shalom, about working to restore the ancient roots of our relationships with one another, recognizing that we are sister and brother, that we are bound to each other in and through our creation by God. Jesus recognizes that we hurt one another and that we must seek to repair the injuries, and to seek and to offer forgiveness. We must work to forgive and to restore what was taken or destroyed as well as be willing to be healed of the hurt and the suffering that was inflicted upon us. We must be willing to “be SHALOM” for the world -- not for ourselves -- but for the sake of the world!
Shalom means “Black Lives Matter”, Shalom means racial equality, Shalom means a recognition of our common sisterhood and brotherhood of our interconnectedness that flows through our very veins. It is a recognition of our common lineage; our common ancestry as the children of God made from the dust of the earth and given life by the very breath of God.
Shalom mean there is no place for white supremacy and white privilege -- a world where we value one person over another based on the color of their skin or the place of their birth, their sexual orientation, their socioeconomic status, their gender or their immigration status!
Shalom means that I must stand up against the plague and sin of racism and bigotry, that I must demand an end to the systemic racism that infects our institutions both private and governmental, secular and sacred!
Shalom means that I am called to stand back and reflect on my own biases in how I treat my sisters and brothers, how and what I think of them in the recesses of my heart!
When we wish “Shalom” to someone we wish happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and well-being, and right-relationship with God and with all our neighbors…and so much more! You and I are called “TO BE SHALOM” to and for all of our sisters and brothers, and for the world itself! In the midst of all that is happening in the world today we hear the clarion call for total racial equality. In the midst of the pandemic, in the midst of economic suffering, in the midst of all of the suffering of our sisters and brothers, how can I “BE SHALOM” in my family, my work, my school, my community, my country?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
In today’s Gospel, in a very real way Jesus is talking about shalom, about working to restore the ancient roots of our relationships with one another, recognizing that we are sister and brother, that we are bound to each other in and through our creation by God. Jesus recognizes that we hurt one another and that we must seek to repair the injuries, and to seek and to offer forgiveness. We must work to forgive and to restore what was taken or destroyed as well as be willing to be healed of the hurt and the suffering that was inflicted upon us. We must be willing to “be SHALOM” for the world -- not for ourselves -- but for the sake of the world!
Shalom means “Black Lives Matter”, Shalom means racial equality, Shalom means a recognition of our common sisterhood and brotherhood of our interconnectedness that flows through our very veins. It is a recognition of our common lineage; our common ancestry as the children of God made from the dust of the earth and given life by the very breath of God.
Shalom mean there is no place for white supremacy and white privilege -- a world where we value one person over another based on the color of their skin or the place of their birth, their sexual orientation, their socioeconomic status, their gender or their immigration status!
Shalom means that I must stand up against the plague and sin of racism and bigotry, that I must demand an end to the systemic racism that infects our institutions both private and governmental, secular and sacred!
Shalom means that I am called to stand back and reflect on my own biases in how I treat my sisters and brothers, how and what I think of them in the recesses of my heart!
When we wish “Shalom” to someone we wish happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and well-being, and right-relationship with God and with all our neighbors…and so much more! You and I are called “TO BE SHALOM” to and for all of our sisters and brothers, and for the world itself! In the midst of all that is happening in the world today we hear the clarion call for total racial equality. In the midst of the pandemic, in the midst of economic suffering, in the midst of all of the suffering of our sisters and brothers, how can I “BE SHALOM” in my family, my work, my school, my community, my country?
Blessings,
Fr. Tim
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