Jesus is sending out 70 people to do God’s work. He tells them to carry no purse or sandals. They were not to ‘be prepared’, but rather in God’s providence. They were, however, to offer peace to the house.
I like the idea of peace being something that can be conferred to a house and its inhabitants. It’s as if peace is a thing that can be transferred or refuted. I have been to places that feel peaceful. Often they’re places where others before me have intentionally brought or fought for peace – some places of worship either inside or outside. I wonder whether it really is a thing – peace. I wonder if in the future, scientists will be able to see or prove that peace is present in some places or spaces, and not in others.
One of the challenges of my current world, is that my house doesn’t frequently have that sense of peace. Walking in, it feels disrupted and unsettled.
What would it look like or how would I share that sense of peace on my space? Maybe it’s more intentional peace-offering whenever I arrive. Peace to this house. Maybe it’s something like a Mezuzah, the Jewish piece of parchment on which text from Deuteronomy is written – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and might, and bind them on your hand, forehead, and the doorpost of your home. Not that a Mezuzah would be a talisman, but a beautiful reminder of God’s presence in a place.
My husband and I are out of town for a weekend getaway with dear old friends. It’s nice to be away, although texting makes away a relative term. Yesterday, we received dozens of texts from our sick loved one, resplendent of drama and language to which we’ve become accustomed. But by early afternoon, the drama died down, and we’re left with 2 days more of peaceful away.
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