The Sign of Peace is a Colossal Waste of Time

[ciero]

Oh, how I wish more considered it optional! I do so feel the sign of peace is empty, at least for the most part. I cannot begin to number the times I have shaken hands with someone who wasn’t even looking in my direction. If the person is already picking out the next person with whom to shake hands, it isn’t exactly sincere. The person who wrote about looking at the other person is the style I follow. When I do the sign of peace, I make a point of trying to make eye contact. Sure, that is sometimes impossible, but I think it should be real if we are going to do it.

Just so you know I am a total grump, neither I nor any member of my family participates in hand-holding during the Our Father. I agree with Karl Keating when he said that the hand-holding undercuts the sign of peace. I also feel hand-holding during the Our Father makes it less spiritual.

No, I am not really a grump, but I want Mass to be deep, intense, and with soaring spirituality. Breaking attention to shake hands really disrupts my focus.

How can one love Our Lord but not even be willing to offer a sign of peace to our fellow Christian? I find this whole thread a bit offputting! It’s not all about ME you know!

 

[Padraig1972]

It’s sandwiched in between two solemn moments in the Mass. That’s why I find it awkward. they should move it… to the parking lot

I agree. It should be replaced with the Jesus prayer instead (repeated 6 times - 3 for the holy trinity and three for the holy family) in my opinion though.

 

[Brendan]

ciero:
How can one love Our Lord but not even be willing to offer a sign of peace to our fellow Christian?

No one is denying a sign of peace to anyone. Rather, it’s done internally.

The whole point is that Christ is among us and we are all recieving His Peace. That does not have to be accompanied by a physical action. If you think that such actions are required, I don’t think you really understand what is being offiered.

 

[Love_Divine]

ciero:
How can one love Our Lord but not even be willing to offer a sign of peace to our fellow Christian? I find this whole thread a bit offputting! It’s not all about ME you know!

Nope, it’s not even about US. It’s about what happens on the Altar everyday. Where we meet Jesus in the most Holy Sacrifice. Really, the Sign of Peace is quite unecessary and does cause a disruption. Maybe if people knew how to behave in Church and understood why we come Church, the sign of peace might serve a purpose, but as it stands right now, it should be removed.

 

[TrueLight]

Then you should be in my parish. Our priest carries it into extremes, gets off from the altar and shakes hands with people, so do the Extraordinary Ministers and it soon changes into a “love in” similar to the sixties.

I don’t need all that, LOL. But maybe more than a vacant look?

It takes a little time to know each other too. I am a “revert” and came back in the Church about 8 years ago, but it took me about a year to make friends and know people in the parish.

And welcome home. Meet and greet and join some organizations in your parish where you’ll get a chance to meet them. Most Parishes have some activities going on during the rest of the year too.

Yeah. I plan on joining the bible study so I can meet some people. Thanks for the welcome!

 

[Elizabeth502]

I don’t agree with this,

Since almost everybody is going to receive communion, the sharing of Christ peace before the communion seems to be superfluous.

(We can’t assume what percentage is receiving, nor should the form of the liturgy be dictated by that. )

But I do agree with this:

The new form never got proper catechesis or explanation. To great [greet ] those who are around you would be proper at the beginning of the Mass, this is also proper time for reconciliation.

Completely correct. “Greet each other with a holy kiss,” and “If you remember that your brother has something against you, leave first your sacrifice aside and reconcile with your brother before you bring your offering to the altar.” Both biblical imperatives have liturgical application, it seems to me.

 

[The_Reginator]

I have not been able to take part in this ‘sign of peace’ for many years now.
The most incredible miracle has just taken place on the altar. God Himself is ACTUALLY PRESENT under the veil of bread and wine.
As the Mass builds to this moment and as we get deeper into this contact with our Lord and Saviour, why oh why are we expected to startle ourselves out of these deep moments simply to do what can be done at a more appropriate time???

I really worry that the effect this is having on many is to dilute some people’s belief in the Real Presence. To truly believe and act as though they believe that they are in the presence of their Creator.
I ask you all to please think often and hard about this. I could be very wrong, but I am truly concerned.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I think it is not only a waste of time but very wrong. I’ve seen Priests leave the alter and walk around in the crowd shaking hands with everyone. Remember this is after the consecration and I thought His hand were not to touch anything because He just touched God.

I think its proper that the peace of Christ flow through the priest. But there should be a different way for it to come down from the altar to the people. In the Chaldean Rite, the altar servers bring it down from the priest to the people. And the people don’t pass it along unless they receive it from the chain that came from the priest. Symbolically, this makes a lot of sense and is a beautiful tradition.

 

[The_Idiot]

I think its proper that the peace of Christ flow through the priest. But there should be a different way for it to come down from the altar to the people. In the Chaldean Rite, the altar servers bring it down from the priest to the people. And the people don’t pass it along unless they receive it from the chain that came from the priest. Symbolically, this makes a lot of sense and is a beautiful tradition.

What you have described is what I observed in a Benedictine Monastery . The Celebrant gave the Peace to all the concelebrating priests , the deacons gave the Peace to the deacons , and the servers gave the peace to all the public present , coming down the aisles and giving the peace to the first person in a pew , who then gave it to the next person standing beside them , who in their turn gave it to the next person.

It was all very quietly done , no rushing about to shake hands with someone on the other side of the Church , and the peace was passed throughout the congregation.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I wish we didn’t do this. I don’t begrudge shaking other people’s hands, but it’s not necessary really, is it? The priest offers peace and we say “And also with you,” and soon to be “And also with your spirit.” Isn’t that enough? We can participate in our hearts without glad-handing everyone nearby.

But much worse than this, when our pastor first arrived at the parish, he would ask us all to introduce ourselves to one another before Mass began!! But after he’d already made his entrance, so technically it HAD begun. The church was suddenly like a giant cocktail party!

So awkward and unnecessary! Father, we’ll come up and introduce ourselves to YOU, we already know each other, or we don’t want to know each other. Just awkward.

I much prefer not joining hands for the Our father too. That’s why I love daily Mass so much - hardly any of those distractions/problems.

 

[maryj]

Actually, people shouldn’t be saying “Good to see you.” The intent of the Sign of Peace is to say, “Peace - Be with you.”

The ole’ farts that don’t want anyone touching them, just completely crack me up. They make me laugh inside for half an hour.

If one were to just look at me, one would never know that I have a debilitating diesease called Rhuemetoid Arthritis. My hands hurt so bad some days that my husband has to help me pull my socks on and button my clothes. Now imagine sticking that hand out and having someone squeeze it. Please remember that you can not judge a book by it’s cover, and that our Lords’ Peace is for all, not just those who touch our hands.

 

[ANNE_2]

“Peace be with you.” Jesus said that to the Apostles and then He breathed on them.

Just thinking back.

You are correct. That is why the Priest says this to us, and the Congregation says it back to him. (This has nothing to do with the congregation saying it to each other- according to the custom. My custom is save it for the parking lot.)

I wish the USCCB would stop getting changes to the Mass approved by Vatican authorities. Some of their ideas are not the best for the souls of the Faithful. There is no reason for indults (special permission).
Let’s do it the way the Pope does his. No shaking hands or interrupting our concentration and devotion to the Lord, and Communion on the Tongue while kneeling.

catholicherald.co.uk/news/2011/03/03/cardinal-bad-masses-weaken-the-faith/

 

[Phemie]

The sign of Peace is required between the Priest and the Congregation only.- Peace be with You.

For the Congregation to give the sign of Peace to each other is one of those things that the USCCB asked for special permission from the Vatican.
So it’s legal - ‘according to the local custom’ whatever that is, but not required.

I think its disruptive and takes our minds off of God, and breaks up the solemnity and holiness of the Mass.
I can greet my neighbors before or after Mass.

I personally will not turn my back on the Tabernacle and Altar during Mass, so I never greet the people behind me.

Recieving Communion in the hand rather than on the tongue is also an indult (special permission) asked for and received by the USCCB.

US Churches never got permission to remove the Altar rails, as far as I know.

EWTN Masses do not have the greeting of Neighbors during the Mass. Neither does Pope Benedict at his Masses. In fact the Pope only gives Communion to those who kneel and on the tongue.
vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/details /ns_lit_doc_20100526_communion_en.html

While the exchange of the sign of peace is optional, it’s not there by indult but by law. The law allows it, the Bishop’s Conference sets the manner in which it will be done. The USCCB has left the manner up to the local parishes, specifying neither gesture nor words.

The GIRM says the same thing in Latin as it does for the US, for France and for England and Wales. If it were an indult it would say so, like it does for Communion in the hand (i.e. ‘where it is allowed’).

 

[ProVobis]

Completely correct. “Greet each other with a holy kiss,” and “If you remember that your brother has something against you, leave first your sacrifice aside and reconcile with your brother before you bring your offering to the altar.” Both biblical imperatives have liturgical application, it seems to me.

There are a few stories that during the war, soldiers of both sides would drop their rifles and attend the same Mass, even in open fields. If Mass itself can’t bring people of all sides and languages and cultures together, I fail to see how just the handshake of peace itself will help.

 

[Seamus_L]

I do my handshaking before and after mass. The sign of peace as it’s done is a warm and fuzzy feel good attempt to ape Evangelical Protestants. We’ve already got disruptive handshaking and handholding, what’s next, rhythmatic clapping ?

 

[TheMc]

“Peace be with you.” Jesus said that to the Apostles and then He breathed on them.

Just thinking back.

Exactly. He didn’t shake their hand, he didn’t tell them to shake each other’s hands.

 

[The_Idiot]

I forgot to say in my post about the way that the Peace is given by the Benedictines - it’s not a handshake

When given to the laity , the Giver of the Peace has his/her hands held vertically about 6 ins apart with the edge of the hand from the wrist to the little finger, at right angles to the ground . The recipient then holds his hands the same way and one hand is placed between the Giver’s hands and the other is outside one - but the hands are always parallel. It sounds awkward but in practice it is very easy .

 

[Lormar]

I have not been able to take part in this ‘sign of peace’ for many years now.
The most incredible miracle has just taken place on the altar. God Himself is ACTUALLY PRESENT under the veil of bread and wine.
As the Mass builds to this moment and as we get deeper into this contact with our Lord and Saviour, why oh why are we expected to startle ourselves out of these deep moments simply to do what can be done at a more appropriate time???

I really worry that the effect this is having on many is to dilute some people’s belief in the Real Presence. To truly believe and act as though they believe that they are in the presence of their Creator.
I ask you all to please think often and hard about this. I could be very wrong, but I am truly concerned.

 

[DeusLuxMea]

Its nothing but a disruptive gesture that interferes with prepartion for Holy Communion.

:yyeess:

 

[JackQ]

I find the sign of peace to be trite, ineffective, cold and a waste of time. Why do we even need it in the Liturgy?

I know the sign of peace originated as a “holy kiss”.

I’ve been alternating between 3 parishes and in most of them, there is not even a handshake. People turn around and hold up their hands, give a quick nod, or maybe a smile if you’re lucky.

There is no “Good to see you”. In fact, it happens so fast, if someone asked me to identify in a lineup the person I exchanged the sign of peace with 10 minutes before, I’d be at a loss.

If there is no warmth in this sign of peace, why bother?

Wow, I’ve never been to a parish like that. In every Mass I’ve attended (except the Tridentine Masses), there have been handshakes from everyone, and sometimes hugs from people who know you.

There’s folk masses, and Latin masses. Maybe you’re going to the grouchy masses.