2 Corinthians 13:11-13 (NRSV)
Read 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 on biblegateway.com
Verse 11Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Verse 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. Verse 13The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
Devotion
And also with you. It's hard to read these verses without having that response pop into my head. Is it that way for you, too? Since these words are shared as part of the traditional greeting at the start of the Lutheran liturgy, regular church-goers are trained to extend a spirit of grace back to the worship leader. It's a sweet, familiar way to begin worship.
There's a little irony in this instinctive call-and-response, though. When Paul wrote this letter, his relationship with the church at Corinth had hit a rough patch. Things weren't going smoothly within the community itself. And also with you might not have been their first instinctive response.
Paul's message is just as important today: We need each other. God calls us to the holy work of supporting other believers. Just as Christ came to reconcile us to the Father, we are to be reconciled to one another. And also with you is more than a liturgical response. It's meant to be a way of life.
Prayer
Bless your church—and the messy, beautiful, broken and at the same time saint and sinners who are part of it. Amen.