This summer I had a revelation. I realized that for most of my life I’ve been trying to live a better life. I’ve tried to be better, do better, get better at what I do and then buy better things with the money I make from being so much better. It’s exhausting trying to be better all the time. And so recently I’ve begun to think that maybe ‘better’ isn’t the best. Maybe what I should be seeking falls more into the category of “well, whole, and complete.” Maybe the quest is not for a better life than those around me but a for a more whole life; a kind of existence that does its best but also knows how to step away and rest. A way of living that is not just about being better than others in this world but rather living my whole life for the betterment of the others in my world. A life not just lived with information about God but lived in a state of constant formation because of God.
The Bible has a word for this ideal, it names it shalom. Shalom is a sense that everything has been set right, that justice has been accomplished, that good has won out over evil and that all creation is once again in right relation with its Creator…that all is well. The word shalom holds within its letters the hopes of both nations and individuals not just to live a better life than the generation before, but the hope of finding a deeper peace and a stronger connection both with the God who loves this world and with all those whom God loves. This small word is packed with so much hope that it is never to be kept to ourselves but is offered to one another as both a blessing and a promise. “Shalom aleichum” May well-being be upon you.
It is important to remember that shalom comes not just as a gift and a promise to us but as a call to action and a responsibility. Shalom is a plural word even when spoken to an individual and it declares that we are in this together and that our well-being is tied to the well-being of others. Shalom is simply not possible when those around us are disconnected from God and disconnected from one another. And so this year may we offer shalom as a greeting and may we wish shalom upon all those that we meet, but let us not stop there for the words of blessing require action for the blessing to become a reality. Let us become co-creators of shalom and let us not stop until all live with well-being upon them.
This morning we gather together at 10:30 for our first chapel of the year. Together we will seek a stronger connection with God and a deeper commitment to the well-being of one another. We will conclude our time together with the opportunity to pray for one another and to wish one another well. This is a time for us to say to our students, “our deepest desire is for well-being to be upon you”, Shalom aleichum. I hope you will join us as we start this year well.
Shalom aleichem, May well-being be upon you.
