A Note From The Pastor...
What Happened to The Sign of Peace? As you probably read in Parable, Bishop Libasci wants us to not have the Sign of Peace just prior to the Lamb of God, and that further instruction would be forth coming. I recommend if you want to show some sign of peace to each other that you do it before Mass.
Here are excerpts from the article by Bishop Libasci: “The celebrant, deacon and, in those days of solemn high Masses, the subdeacon, always shared the sign of peace. It was offered in a very particular way that made its purpose known! When it began being shared among all the people present at Mass, it was introduced during a movement toward secular informality and a desire to make everyone feel welcome at the table of the Lord. The actual purpose and meaning were obscured and the sign was no longer recognizable as the sign of a holy and sacred bond; the bond of being saved through baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus! The directions given in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) today teach us what should and should not be associated with this sign of our sacred bond with Jesus Christ.”
“There follows the Rite of Peace, by which the Church entreats peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament. As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by the Conferences of Bishops. … However, it is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest.” (Chapter II, paragraph 82)
The instruction reflects a mirror image of the sign given by the ordained and the sign as it was meant to be given by the faithful. The regard for this member of the body of Christ standing before me and the dignity of Christ’s presence that marks the immortal soul as belonging to Christ through baptism is demonstrated by a ritual of deepest respect for the holiness of the baptized.
The greeting of peace is made by the celebrant: “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” And all respond to his greeting: “And with your spirit.” Again, this is a moment of acknowledgment of the sacred bond won for us through Jesus Christ, our savior, redeemer and shepherd.
But the sharing of the sign is not automatic. It is shared only if words of invitation are given. The directions of the General Instruction are important here. “Then the priest, with hands extended, says, ‘The peace of the Lord be with you always.’ The people reply, ‘And with your spirit.’ After this, if appropriate, the priest adds, ‘Let us offer each other the sign of peace.’”(Chapter IV, paragraph 154) The mutual exchange of the sign of peace has not yet been brought back in our diocese. As I offer Mass in various parishes, I have seen congregations exchanging the sign even without being invited to do so. In some parishes, I have found deacons making the invitation and people exchanging the sign as always before: shaking hands, waving across the whole church, and sometimes people spin completely around while waving an acknowledgment of people around them.
When we ask, “What happened to the sign of peace?” The answer is, “We weren’t told what it really meant and so we did what we always do when we want to say, ‘Hi’ to people.” As I hope you now see, we’re not just saying, “Hi.” We are really supposed to be ratifying our belief in the new creation we have become and the new creation standing before us: God’s children adopted through baptism and saved for eternal life. As soon as we can get this message out and rediscover the true meaning, we’ll let you know when and how best to offer the sign of peace.”
Fr. Mark
