Peace be with you to incarnate the resurrection

My colleague Shanta Premawardhana preached an interactive Easter sermon on Monday (click on the link to read the sermon). Shanta began by greeting us with the words Salaam alleikkum and encouraging us to greet one another:
"Let me greet you with the words our Lord Jesus Christ used to greet his disciples when he appeared to them in the upper room: Salaam Aleikkum. If the risen Christ were to approach you in the guise of your Muslim neighbour, he might greet you in the same way. And of course, most of you know the correct response - Aleikkum Asalaam! Would you turn to you neighbour and say Salaam Aleikkum and respond with an Aliekkum Asalaam!"

This way of encouraging us to share Christ's peace with one another, made me think once more of how Christ's followers are called in some way to "incarnate" the resurrection. (I think my use of the word incarnate is a poor translation of the French incarner - probably the English should be embody.) Perhaps incarnation of the resurrection is what makes for the mission of God which Shanta speaks of later in the sermon.

Following the sermon we said an interesting affirmation of faith which included this:
"We believe in Jesus, the risen Christ -
who meets us on every path;
who greets us with respect, names and calms our fears,
and bids us walk and talk as
children of the Light;
who is always going before us into our workplace and playspace."

You can find the whole order of service and full text of the affirmaiton of faith here.

So, salaam aleikkum, peace be with you!