Misunderstanding "The Sign of Peace"

A reader writes to the Review:

Peace passed on
Editor:

Regarding Father Thomas Keller’s column on Feb. 17, concerning the Sign of Peace: We have an autistic daughter who loves going to Sunday Mass. The Sign of Peace is very special to her.

After we do the Sign of Peace she always looks at me and says "I’m so happy." I think she really understands what it means.

Arline Schmiedeke
St. Pius V Parish
St. Louis

Fr Thomas Keller's response to a question about overdoing the Sign of Peace from the Feb. 17 column of "Dear Father":

The Church needs to do away with the Sign of Peace. It seems unsanitary and it interrupts the Mass by creating a social hour. Where did it come from, and what can be done about this?

The Sign of Peace is an ancient ritual symbolizing the bestowal of Christ’s peace to the Church at Pentecost. But before we deal with its sanitary or social consequences let’s look at what is happening. True peace, or the peace that the world cannot give, comes from Christ. This peace is received through the sacraments.

The external action expressing the presence of the peace of Christ has changed over the centuries. In the early Church, it was a ritualized kiss on the lips; in later centuries it became an embrace, or even the kissing and passing of an ornate "pax" board. In some centuries it was exchanged by all members of the assembly, and at other times only by the clergy. It usually occurred near or even at the time when Holy Communion was received. In modern times, a handshake is often the outward expression of peace.

Today, the Sign of Peace may be misunderstood. Some people may believe it expresses affection or acceptance of other individuals in a community. Instead, it expresses Christ’s peace, not our own. The celebrant of the Mass offers peace first from the altar where the Eucharist lays. He says, "The peace of the Lord be with you all." The peace comes directly from Christ. Then that peace is shared by those to whom it has been offered through a simple ritual action. In a sense, it foreshadows the peace of receiving Holy Communion and expresses the Mystical Body of Christ.

Finally, if someone is mindful of illness, he or she should take measures to avoid spreading germs without avoiding others. You can express the Sign of Peace by saying it to someone near you without a handshake if you’re concerned that might spread germs. If the members of a parish community exchange the Sign of Peace with more than the individuals immediately near them, they may wish to reconsider its practice so that it does not distract from the primary sign of unity, which is Holy Communion.

Father Keller is an associate pastor at the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica Parish and assistant director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship.

At one parish,the priest omits the optional "Let us offer each other the sign of God's peace", which keeps our focus directed toward the altar where Christ is really, truly, and substantially present. At others, there is a general disruption of the awesome reality of the miracle which has just taken place on the altar. Normally, if and when faced with such a disruption, I keep my hands folded and bow slightly to the person left and/or right of me, saying "Peace be with you"...