The peace imperative

The Christ says: “Peace! Be still!”

It’s an imperative statement. Meaning it is a command to be obeyed immediately and without compromise or question.

Peace as the Christ puts it is neither advice, nor self-help, nor a suggestion.

More like: Peace…or die.

Isn’t that about right?

Because these days, we’re dying for peace, aren’t we? Dying, but never arriving at peace. It’s almost as if we as a society have a death wish. As if we feel guilty if peace doesn’t come at a high cost to ourselves or others. As if the only kind of peace we’ll accept is peace on our own terms. And the peace we keep on our terms is most often peace we keep by threatening death, destruction, and violence.

In other words, the peace we keep is not peace at all.

Does peace come with a price?

Yes. A price humanity proves itself to be incapable of paying.

Christians believe that the Christ paid the price humanity could not pay. The Christ absorbed and took into himself all the deadly raging violence of humanity and overcame it all…not with bigger guns, but with peace.

So when the Christ says “Peace! Be still!” he speaks with the authority of one whose peace made compost of violence and grew resurrection.

You have but to obey. And choose peace.