Ping!
I despise that sign of peace garbage. I don’t want to gladhand during Mass
When I hear the term ‘sign of peace’ I presume what is meant refers to the parishioners who engage in the ten minutes of handshaking, hugging and waving that now occur near the end of mass. I can do without this, except perhaps on feast days, but I’m not sure if that is the topic here. It’s difficult to penetrate the formal language used in this article.
I don’t like it but I’d be okay if it were moved and made more formal. It’s nice to see who’s in church with you and give them a nod, but the grip and grin needs to go. And it certainly shouldn’t be where it is.
The old rite actually had a moment for this, but it had disappeared by the 19th century or possibly even before. There was an object called a pax that used to be passed around from the celebrant to the servers and then to the congregation, which passed it around.
I’d be happy to see it removed.
I like the sign of peace coz it gave me a legal holy excuse to sit next to a pretty girl in church and give her a big kiss smackaroo at the sign of peace. It was legal if you did it fast.
St. Paul had it right on the money:
Romans 16:16 “Salute one another with an holy kiss”
I`ll do what St. Paul says any day.
REMOVE!