What's the purpose of the Sign of Peace?

[Conservative]

First, why do you want to surprise them?

Second, who do you think you are to change the Mass? The prayer “God Bless You” is a intercessory prayer for another. To say “Peace be with you” is to physically act on behalf of and for Christ to do as he did when he came back to the upper room: physically and spiritually assure those around you that Christ is with them, that they are forgiven, grant them the graces to properly recieve.

It’s not my intention to surprise anyone - I’ve just noticed the pleased astonishment when I’ve offered those words.

Me? Change the Mass? Ahhh, you’re speaking with a traditional Catholic - who usually doesn’t attend Masses offering the SIgn of Peace - but rather kneels waiting for the priest’s blessing before Holy Communion is distributed. But it seems that where the Sign of Peace is offered - anything - ranging from a handshake, to kissing, to waving across the Church - are all the people’s own interpretation of the words, “Peace be with you”. ***Are they changing the Mass? *** Would you rather hear “God bless you” or nothing at all? (to me that “intercessory prayer” is the greatest thing you can offer - to a stranger, friend, family member or fellow worshiper in prayer. The priest often says to offer, “a” sign or “some” sign of peace. Various priests use different words.

When attending Masses where the Sign of Peace is instructed, I simply offer my sign/prayer of peace to my immediate neighbor in the pew…‘God bless you’…it’s not just for sneezing and nothing to be sneezed at.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

I’m not sure what they do on EWTN but the Maronites here practice a gesture that is kind of common among others Eastern/Oriental churches (Coptic, etc.) also with some variation. It is like a hand clasp (both hands placed over the other’s joined hands). A variation which preserves the “kiss” bit is after the hand clasp, you raise your hands (joined at the palms) to your lips and kiss it.

Only reporting what I saw. What you describe sort of sounds like what they did- without holding hands whatsoever, more of a “pass” between each other, and no kiss.

 

[lintpick1]

It’s not my intention to surprise anyone - I’ve just noticed the pleased astonishment when I’ve offered those words.

Me? Change the Mass? Ahhh, you’re speaking with a traditional Catholic - who usually doesn’t attend Masses offering the SIgn of Peace - but rather kneels waiting for the priest’s blessing before Holy Communion is distributed.

HAHAHA. I agree with your comments on making God the focus of the Mass. It’s a lot like the holding of the hands during the Our Father, it just kinda slid in there. Now, what do you do when you refuse to hold the next person’s hand during the Our Father, and then have to give a Sign of Peace to that same person a minute later. It’s an awkward moment IMO.

 

[benedictgal]

HAHAHA. I agree with your comments on making God the focus of the Mass. It’s a lot like the holding of the hands during the Our Father, it just kinda slid in there. Now, what do you do when you refuse to hold the next person’s hand during the Our Father, and then have to give a Sign of Peace to that same person a minute later. It’s an awkward moment IMO.

That has happened to me on numerous occasions. As I have said on a few other threads, I don’t hold hands during the Pater Noster, much to the consternation of my pewmates. One time, this elderly woman tried to grab my hand (I had my hands folded in prayer and my eyes were closed, but, I opened my eyes because she was grabbing me–she had come from the other end of the pew). I smiled and politely shook my head. Later on, when the Sign of Peace came, we exchanged the sign, but I quickly explained to her why I didn’t respond in kind during the Pater Noster. Her response, “Well, we’ll see what Father has to say because that is part of the Mass.” After Mass, she reported me to the priest (who is a friend). He told her that it wasn’t part of the rubrics, but, people do it anyway. She was still upset with me.

On another occasion, one of my friends, an elderly woman to whom I give rides to and from Mass, tried to grab my hand during the Pater Noster. I gently told her, “no”. We still exchanged the sign of peace. After Mass, I explained the whole thing to her. She said, “but, it’s about the Community.” “No,” I said. “It’s not something horizontal. We’ve made so much to-do about the community that we have forgotten the Father and emphasized ‘our’.” She got the point. She told me that people look at me strangely because although I don’t hold hands, I still extend the sign of peace.

 

[Linda_Marie]

When I lived in Scotland, we only had a small chapel in our town, the main parish church being an hours’ drive away. During the summer, the town was full of tourists and our small chapel, that only had about 15 of us the rest of the year, would be packed. Our priest was not really enamoured of the Sign of Peace and would omit it entirely on Holy Days of Obligation. He used to give instruction at the beginning of Mass when we had a lot of tourists that our custom with the Sign of Peace was to turn to our neighbour, bow our heads and say “Peace be with you.”, NO SHAKING HANDS. The tourists would universally ignore him and shake hands with everyone within reach.

Being a new convert at the time, it gave me an entirely new perspective on my faith. During the winter, when it was only us locals, the Mass was very reverent. Bowing to the person next to me seemed far more deferential, reverent and in keeping with the solemn and holy part of the Mass than reaching out and shaking hands exuberantly with everyone I could reach.

Sometimes, especially if I have a cold and have been coughing and sneezing, I feel very reluctant to shake someone’s hand. I may as well drink from the Cup and make sure I pass my cold along to everyone.

I was told that before Vatican II, people would come to Mass, sit in their pew and look neither left nor right nor acknowledge anyone sitting around them in any way. It was as if they and they alone were at Mass. The emphasis was on Christ and the individual and nothing about being a community of believers. (so I was told) The Sign of Peace was reinstated to renew the sign of us being a community in worship rather than individuals. I don’t think it was intended to get so out of hand as to disrupt Mass as it certainly seems to be doing these days with people crossing aisles and moving around.

 

[benedictgal]

When I lived in Scotland, we only had a small chapel in our town, the main parish church being an hours’ drive away. During the summer, the town was full of tourists and our small chapel, that only had about 15 of us the rest of the year, would be packed. Our priest was not really enamoured of the Sign of Peace and would omit it entirely on Holy Days of Obligation. He used to give instruction at the beginning of Mass when we had a lot of tourists that our custom with the Sign of Peace was to turn to our neighbour, bow our heads and say “Peace be with you.”, NO SHAKING HANDS. The tourists would universally ignore him and shake hands with everyone within reach.

Being a new convert at the time, it gave me an entirely new perspective on my faith. During the winter, when it was only us locals, the Mass was very reverent. Bowing to the person next to me seemed far more deferential, reverent and in keeping with the solemn and holy part of the Mass than reaching out and shaking hands exuberantly with everyone I could reach.

Sometimes, especially if I have a cold and have been coughing and sneezing, I feel very reluctant to shake someone’s hand. I may as well drink from the Cup and make sure I pass my cold along to everyone.

I was told that before Vatican II, people would come to Mass, sit in their pew and look neither left nor right nor acknowledge anyone sitting around them in any way. It was as if they and they alone were at Mass. The emphasis was on Christ and the individual and nothing about being a community of believers. (so I was told) The Sign of Peace was reinstated to renew the sign of us being a community in worship rather than individuals. I don’t think it was intended to get so out of hand as to disrupt Mass as it certainly seems to be doing these days with people crossing aisles and moving around.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions, as our Holy Father frequently points out, about what happened before the Second Vatican Council and about the so-called spirit of V II. However, the main focus of the Mass consistently remains God. The prayers are directed to the Father, through the Son, in union with the Holy Spirit (by the way, there’s your original community, the Blessed Trinity).

Unfortunately, there is now an over-emphasis of the “community of believers” (inasmuch as our Faith and our Church don’t exist in a vaccuum) to the point that this becomes more important than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

A by-product of all of this is when the Sign of Peace pretty much takes on a life of its own. You are right in that many people, instead of just soberly exchanging the Sign of Peace with their pewmates, decide to walk all over creation hugging and kissing everyone. This is not what the Sign of Peace should be. Furthermore, remember that when Jesus appeared to the 11 on the evening of His resurrection he said, “Peace, be with you.” Peace is not merely the absence of war. When you exchange the sign of Peace, you are saying to the person next to you, I wish you well-being, may you always be well. Jesus wished for His Apostles to be well, to be whole. That is the same wish we should give to those closest to us at Mass. Instead, we have turned it into an overextended free-for-all and have distorted its original purpose.

 

[AJV]

In Vietnam, the sign of peace is exchanged through a simple, slight bow of the head from the waist,first to the celebrant and then to others in close proximity. there is actually no physical contact.

We do the same but in Indian style i.e. hands joined.

The priests (if concelebrating) will clasp the hand amongst themselves. And the altar party at my church follows a slightly different protocol from the congregation. After saying “offer each other a sign of peace” the priest first bows, and then clasps the hands of the 1 or 2 altar severs and he/they bow and clasp the hands of the rest of the altar servers in order to “pass it on”.

 

[ChristopherM]

there have been some good answers in this thread I would like like to share what it says in my Missal.

The Kiss of peace prepares us for the actual or at least the spiritual reception of the Sacrament of charity and concord. it “Reconciles and unites souls to one another, procuring an entire oblivion of all offenses. It is a Sign that minds are again reconciled with one another, and that all remembrance of injustice suffered in the past is banished from the heart” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)

Also

The Priest first kisses the altar, symbol of Christ Himself, and the peace recieved from Christ is then passed to the ministers

 

[Orionthehunter]

It’s not my intention to surprise anyone - I’ve just noticed the pleased astonishment when I’ve offered those words.

Me? Change the Mass? Ahhh, you’re speaking with a traditional Catholic - who usually doesn’t attend Masses offering the SIgn of Peace - but rather kneels waiting for the priest’s blessing before Holy Communion is distributed. But it seems that where the Sign of Peace is offered - anything - ranging from a handshake, to kissing, to waving across the Church - are all the people’s own interpretation of the words, “Peace be with you”. ***Are they changing the Mass? *** Would you rather hear “God bless you” or nothing at all? (to me that “intercessory prayer” is the greatest thing you can offer - to a stranger, friend, family member or fellow worshiper in prayer. The priest often says to offer, “a” sign or “some” sign of peace. Various priests use different words.

When attending Masses where the Sign of Peace is instructed, I simply offer my sign/prayer of peace to my immediate neighbor in the pew…‘God bless you’…it’s not just for sneezing and nothing to be sneezed at.

It isn’t your “intent” to surprise but you then said "If someone offers me their hand, I watch their surprised faces when I say, “God Bless You.” It certainly appears you either have an intention other than that intended by the Church or you take pleasure in having a reaction other than the Church intends/desires.

And, from the looks of it, your innovation has the impression of being an abuse from my perspective. I guess you shouldn’t be so hard on the hand holders. They appear to be another version of the same coin.\

P.S. I am not a “hand holder” but do it if I believe it will affect my fellow worshipper in a negative way. I guess I am trying to be charitable. But, I do not raise my hands like the Priest and resist the lifting of those I am holding hands which I see as a more egregious abuse.

 

[Windmill]

The SOP is optional. I wonder if a priest would get lynched if he decided to omit it because of the silliness surrounding this part of the Mass.

 

[Digitonomy]

While the sign of peace is being given, one may say, Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum (The peace of the Lord be with you always), to which the response is Amen.

I stand corrected. Note however that one may say that, but variations or alternatives are not proscribed. It is quite rare that I hear that particular phrase, and even rarer that I hear anyone give the response “Amen.” Likewise, I believe in Spanish the more common statement is “Paz de Jesus.” It seems quite a stretch to suggest that Conservative’s statement is an abuse.

What if he were to say “God bless you with his peace”? It’s substantially the same in meaning as “Peace be with you.”

 

[Orionthehunter]

The SOP is optional. I wonder if a priest would get lynched if he decided to omit it because of the silliness surrounding this part of the Mass.

Because of the issue that you reference, my Pastor omitted it for a period, instituted a “greet your fellow parishioners” before Mass started, and (keeping the pre-Mass “meet and greet”) then reintroduced it with an explanation of the liturgical purpose of it which is not to “meet and greet”. It has worked so well, that visitors have remarked how reverent people are when doing it.

I stand corrected. Note however that one may say that, but variations or alternatives are not proscribed. It is quite rare that I hear that particular phrase, and even rarer that I hear anyone give the response “Amen.” Likewise, I believe in Spanish the more common statement is “Paz de Jesus.” It seems quite a stretch to suggest that Conservative’s statement is an abuse.

What if he were to say “God bless you with his peace”? It’s substantially the same in meaning as “Peace be with you.”

Since reading the GIRM, I’m going to start responding w/ Amen to people with whom I’ll have a the chance to explain. I’m not going to “surprise” people or cause confusion if I think it might have the wrong respsonse.

But to your point of saying “GBYWTPOC”, it is in my mind substantially the same but it has a subtle difference. It is us who are called to make a physical act to extend the Peace of Christ. The use of the “God Bless You” has a slight indication that we are praying that God Bless them with the Peace rather than extending it on behalf of Christ. He is doing it as that is promised in the Mass by the Church. No request necessary. He just wants us to give it a physical component (unless omitted).

Finally, whether the innovation of Conservative is truly considered an abuse by the Church is a matter which may be debatable, I’m just using the standard most “traditionalists” have that if it is not in the rubrics it is an abuse. He can’t hold this position and then think his phrase for his personal agenda is not an abuse when it clearly omits the primary suggested words or intent, and contains a subtle rejection of the call that we are to be physical vehicle of communication on behalf of Christ.

Here is a summary of my view on the hand holding controversy:

1)While I do not prefer to hold hands with the general congregation, I do think it has become a local custom (which the rubrics provide for). Thus, with some concern, I do think that my imposition of my preference might itself be a violation of the legitimate custom and an expression of my ego which may make it an abuse.

1. I don’t think that the raising of the hands is appropriate as it an assumption of a posture that the rubrics hold as a position for the ordained.
2. I do think that holding hands w/ one’s spouse most anytime is acceptable and most anytime meritorious. My rationale is that the Church teaches that any emotional, spiritual, or physical union between spouses is when we are most in God’s Image which is our greatest call as described in Genesis. As husband and wife, we take this teaching quite seriously. For this reason, my wife and I do hold hands during the Our Father, the Homily, and sometimes in our prayer prior to Mass. We don’t believe it is a distraction from Christ but actually a physical focus on Christ.

 

[Christian101]

While I’m learning from the answers given in other posts, I’ll tell you what I do - when I’m at a Mass where the Sign of Peace is requested (since during TLM it’s not)…I don’t kiss anybody (that’s when it really gets carried away and the meaning gets a bit lost) - nor do I say “Peace be with you”.

If someone offers me their hand, I watch their surprised faces when I say, “God Bless You.”

They don’t expect it - and I think it has an interesting effect. Somehow, after saying “Peace be with you” a few times, it seems to become mechanical - can’t explain it. God Bless You? Says it all.

Sacrosanctum Concilium #22. Regulation of the sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See and… on the bishops… Therefore no other person, even if he be a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.

 

[Christopher_S_1]

I personally don’t like it. As a Brother of Padre Pio I truly believe that Padre Pio would not like this. The mere fact that the priest walks away from the Body and Blood of Christ to shake hand is so wrong. And for us to turn our back and shake hands with the person behind us is highly disrespectful to Christ.
I refuse to do it.
I also find that drinking from the chalice is not safe. If you take a glass of water and take a drink out of it you will see leftover particles in the glass.
No thanks. I’ll pass.