Finally, siblings, farewell. Be restored; listen to my appeal; agree with one another; live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. – 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 (NRSVUE, adapted)
When’s the last time you departed from a friend, saying “Bye!” … and “Bye” was really the last word spoken as you left? There’s always one more thing to say, isn’t there?
“Bye, take care! Love you! Great to be with you! Feel better! Give my love to your mom! Have a great vacation! See you again next Tuesday!”
I have a theory: It’s not politeness that keeps us from leaving with only a “goodbye,” is if we find goodbyes to be rudely abrupt, but rather it’s love that keeps us still talking and adding one more thing to our farewell.
“Farewell,” Paul ends his letter to the Corinthians … and then he adds one (or three or eight) more things: “I believe y’all will be able to find your community spirit again! Just keep focusing on love. Find the peace of patience. Be generous in coming together—don’t stay at arm’s length just because you have disagreements. Be satisfied by the holy gifts of grace and love and fellowship. God be with you! Christ be with you! Spirit be with you!”
Extended farewells prove the exception to “less is more.” There’s always “more” where love is concerned. More to say. More to do. More to remember. More to grow.
Not in an obligatory way, but in a cup-runneth-over way. In an endless-wellspring way. In an unmeasured, unselfish way.
In a Holy Trinity way, with no shortage of expressions and permutations to convey, “I love you.” In fire and spirit. In mercy and flesh. In creation and mystery.
Prayer: Just one more thing, God…
cross-posted with the UCC Daily Devotional