Advent 2: A Reflection from Rev. Mees Tielens

Reflection for Advent 2

It took me a long time to stop dreading the exchange of the peace during worship. I am an introvert and spent a long time church shopping; every Sunday, that moment would hit during the service, all the long-time members would move around the church and enthusiastically greet each other, and I'd quickly say “peace!” to the people in the pews around me and then awkwardly sit down and pretend to read my bulletin or look up the next hymn. And yet it’s one of the things I missed the most during covid, go figure. The moment we could move around the sanctuary again to greet each other was the moment I felt we were actually ‘back.’

Whether you’re a hugger, a hand-shaker, or prefer to wave from a distance, the peace is a ritually significant moment. We’re not just saying hello to the people around us; in that moment we are praying for wholeness and wellness for the other, for God’s shalom to take root in and transform the life of the person. Shalom is not just a world without violence, but a world that reflects the goodness and abundance of God. It’s a world that seems further away than ever right now, and at the same time it is a world that is present all around us. That is the mystery of Advent. 

Rituals like passing the peace give shape to God’sshalom; it may feel like a rote part of the service, but it is an act of hope, an embodiment of what we long for. It’s a radical act of resistance. And it makes me wonder: what would the world look like if we prayed forshalomfor everyone we met?