Hi Misericordie,
Well I don’t believe in being confrontational. I just like to tease out my thoughts with those who are willing to listen and seriously consider my points. Of course I welcome the rebuttal which is always very necessary for the growth of both sides.
Now for my last few thoughts of this day!!! I will take your quotes in bold:
***Maybe you forgot one point: The sign of peace at NO mass is optional according to the rubrics themselves. ***
Of course I know this if you see my post I did say
"the sign of Peace when included" Our weekday Masses in my old Parish never included it in weekday Masses but always put it into the Sunday Mass. So when it is included and we are offered the opportunity to offer the great gift of Peace to one another, why do we shut our eyes and say “No”??
***Furthermore you seem to compare Our Lord Jesus Christ with anyone, using an example from the NT which you here take out of its content. ***
No what I am trying to portray is the idea that the offering of Peace, even from Christ Almighty, was a physical gesture also. The giving of Peace to the prostitute, to Zaccheus, to the bleeding woman to the blind man etc. Jesus reached out to touch in order to give Peace. he has given us that Peace so that we now with his example reach out and offer Peace. The Apostoles and disciples when they met after the Ascension regularly embraced and offered each other Peace. And it was part of the Mass in the very early Church as I have pointed out below.
Thirdly, the "sign of peace is a fairly new practice which came to the no about 1977, or near the death of Pope Paul VI. Hence, if your arguments were true, then you mean to say that there was no unity or PEACE in the Church BEFORE Vatican II?
See that argument fails immediately especially for the lovers of the TLM. “Gregorian Chant” is traditionally named after Pope Gregory I (reigned 590-604). He has been credited with the development and codification of the Roman Catholic plainsong. Now before Gregorian Chant and the use of incense etc did our prayers not rise to God as well as they did in the TLM. Before these beautiful riches were introduced did God Almighty accept it to a lesser degree? Before these things were introduced did our Sanctuaries and our Churches not have the ambience of Heaven? Was our Holy Mass any less sacred? No.
What I mean to say is that until 1977 it was not an option for the people at Mass. At the Tridentine Solemn Mass, the Celebrant gave the kiss of peace to the Deacon, who gave it to the Subdeacon who gives it to the clergy present. Now it is an option for the Priest to invite the people to offer the sign of Peace. When he does exercise that option and include it, I don’t think we then have the option to opt out!
I am sure you know there has been talk that we should go back to the ‘kiss’ of peace in the new GIRM. Just imagine no shaking hands. I just hope they all remember to wash their teeth!!!
Lets take a look further back to the early Church. My post is continued…