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Corki
Guest
Thanks for the giggle.
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Irishgal49
Guest
Ha ha ha! I just turn and say “Peace be with you” and don’t shake hands…I keep the Missalette firmly in both hands and nod as I say it…nobody questions it.It’s never bothered me as I’ve always done it.
I haven’t done it much lately though as I am holding a baby and people just nod instead. Maybe that’s what you need?
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ringil
Guest
What harm does it do to touch another human being?
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Brendan
Guest
Good point, perhaps I could just poke the guy in front of me all throughout Mass.
If he gets annoyed in anyway, it is clearly his problem, right? I have a right to touch people who don’t want it, correct? Making him be touched is simply a Christian thing to do, it’s ‘community’ after all
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Student09
Guest
Wow. Please stop presuming to judge the state of my soul. God and my confessor will do that.
And where did I say any of the things you are saying I said? You completely ignored and disregarded everything in my post. God has done miracles for me. Did I deserve them or do something to earn them? No.
Did St. Damien Molokai die of leprosy? Yes.
So you want me to believe that that was because he lacked faith in God? No. I don’t believe that.
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ringil
Guest
Do you know many people who would rather not touch other human beings?Good point, perhaps I could just poke the guy in front of me all throughout Mass.
If he gets annoyed in anyway, it is clearly his problem, right? I have a right to touch people who don’t want it, correct? Making him be touched is simply a Christian thing to do, it’s ‘community’ after all
I am a therapist and I know that some folks stuggle with this due to mental illness but the percentage of the overall population is rather small.
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Brendan
Guest
So does that mean that I can poke whoever I want all throughout Mass? If anyone thinks that I am being rude, should I just send them to you for therapy?
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ringil
Guest
Oh come on. . . .
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Brendan
Guest
So where do you draw the line then? Is there no boundary when one person could feel that it is rude for a stranger to expect them to hold their hand?Oh come on. . . .
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grandfather
Guest
That is quite a statement. If you catch a winter cold or a flu you are certain you know the source.
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Miriam1947
Guest
Church liturgy
It contains early mentions of matters concerning liturgy and the Eucharist, and Sunday worship (chapters 66, 67).
“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”** In chapter 65, Justin Martyr says that the kiss of peace was given before the bread and the wine mixed with water were brought to “the president of the brethren.”** The language used was doubtless Greek, except in particular for the Hebrew word “Amen”, whose meaning Justin explains in Greek (γένοιτο), saying that by it “all the people present express their assent” when the president of the brethren “has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings.”
ask.com/wiki/First_Apology_of_Justin_Martyr
I usually just bow and say Peace be with you but, if someone wants to shake hands I don’t have a problem. But I do receive on the tongue so I am not holding Christ in germ infested hands.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM when someone wants to hold my hand during the Our Father. And I do make that clear.
(I still think of it as the Lord’s Prayer coming from Protestantism as I do.)
It contains early mentions of matters concerning liturgy and the Eucharist, and Sunday worship (chapters 66, 67).
“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”** In chapter 65, Justin Martyr says that the kiss of peace was given before the bread and the wine mixed with water were brought to “the president of the brethren.”** The language used was doubtless Greek, except in particular for the Hebrew word “Amen”, whose meaning Justin explains in Greek (γένοιτο), saying that by it “all the people present express their assent” when the president of the brethren “has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings.”
ask.com/wiki/First_Apology_of_Justin_Martyr
I usually just bow and say Peace be with you but, if someone wants to shake hands I don’t have a problem. But I do receive on the tongue so I am not holding Christ in germ infested hands.
I DO HAVE A PROBLEM when someone wants to hold my hand during the Our Father. And I do make that clear.
(I still think of it as the Lord’s Prayer coming from Protestantism as I do.)
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nocrazs
Guest
I was once told by a priest the sign of peace was a pray and not a gesture.
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jimrob
Guest
The rubric says that we should offer each other a sign of peace in keeping with local tradition and culture. In English speaking countries that usually means shaking hands. Perhaps during colds and flu outbreaks, we should adopt the Japanese bow
I once went to a Mass in the South of France where there were six female altar servers aged around 15. At the peace, they all shook hands with the priest, kissed each other and then went to where their families were sitting and exchanged kisses with everyone there. They then prowled around the church leaping upon any young men who took their fancy (fortunately, elderly Englishmen were exempt). I suppose this is what is meant by local tradition and culture.
I once went to a Mass in the South of France where there were six female altar servers aged around 15. At the peace, they all shook hands with the priest, kissed each other and then went to where their families were sitting and exchanged kisses with everyone there. They then prowled around the church leaping upon any young men who took their fancy (fortunately, elderly Englishmen were exempt). I suppose this is what is meant by local tradition and culture.
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smndtupidisaftr
Guest
Yes, I hate the handshake before Mass. Totally pointless and disruptive. The handshake during the Mass, however, I’m a little more ambivalent about. I don’t detest it like I do the one before Mass, but I agree that it is rather empty.
I’ve also heard the argument that it’s taken the place of the high point of the Mass. Yes, I can attest that this seems to be the case. However, I think the solution to this is not taking away this ritual, but rather bringing back kneeling for Communion and more reverent music during Communion (my parents’ parish typically has upbeat, fun music during which seems completely out of place). But that’s just my opinion.
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smndtupidisaftr
Guest
But we have to be clear that though the community is a part of it, the Mass is not a celebration OF the community. We do not go to Mass to celebrate ourselves, which is what the shaking of hands seems to devolve into at times.
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Tsuwano
Guest
Perhaps not, but if you wouldn’t touch that well-fed, ill-mannered ten year old boy wiping his snotty nose on his hands, would you touch the leper? Just wondering.
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Touching anyone is not required. Put you hand up in the air at the on-set, and all will know you perfer not to shake hands.
Do you receive the Blood of Christ from the Chalice? So what are you saying, you would rather not to do this also, because other’s drank from the same cup.
Peace
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Same here.
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Tsuwano
Guest
I’m not against touching or shaking hands, especially during the sign of peace. I’m simply saying that offering a sign of peace doesn’t necessarily mean shaking hands. There are other ways of offering the sign of peace which do not require shaking hands.
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anp1215
Guest
No. I enjoy shaking the hands of my parish family and smiling, saying “Peace be with you” etc., I don’t really think about germs, and I have been blessed with a good immune system, and am rarely sick (knock on wood!)
I do think that most these days make too big a deal of germs, and that part of the reason so many people have weakened immune systems is that they sterilize their environment too much.
However, for those that genuinely have health problems or weak immune system, I would suggest clasping hands together and bowing with a smile, or as someone else suggested, using hand sanitizer.
If you do shake someone’s hand that appears dirty or has just sneezed, why not take the Eucharist on the tongue? Then your hand is not touching your mouth.
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