Alright, so we’re truckin’ right along with our quick (ha!) look at the Mass. Next up after the Lord’s Prayer is the Rite of Peace. But before we start running around church kissing hands and shaking babies (that joke was for me), the priest prays a Prayer for Peace that goes a little sum’n like this:
Current text:
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles: I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom, where you live forever and ever.
Beginning Advent 2011:
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance with your will. Who live and reign forever and ever.
Naturally, we all respond, “Amen,” ‘cause that’s just what we do.
Jesus did, in fact say these words to his apostles, but when did he say them? Let’s mosey on over to John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world give do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” The footnote associated with this verse in the New American Bible says that the peace Jesus gives is different than the peace the world gives, because Jesus gives the peace of salvation, which is the ultimate peace. What could put a person more at peace than knowing that they have the opportunity to be in heaven? (Nothing, that’s what…in case you were having trouble with that brain-buster of a question.) Notice, if you read the context of that verse, it’s said during the Last Supper (the last meal Jesus ate with his apostles), and fittingly, we go through this peace exercise right before we receive the Eucharist. Coincidence? I think not.
Speaking of peace, it’s time for the actual Rite of Peace. As I mentioned in the last post, the Rite of Peace is where we as a united Church ask for peace and unity throughout not only those gathered, but all of humanity (the universal Body of Christ). We greet each other in a peaceful manner; here in the United States, that usually means a handshake, but could also be a hug, or a kiss (depending on your relationship with the person). The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) leaves the manner in which the congregation is to normally greet each other with a sign of peace up to the bishops of individual dioceses in order to allow local customs to dictate the actions so that people are not made to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Immediately before we give the sign of peace, the priest grants us peace, we return it, then the deacon (or priest if there’s no deacon) invites us to greet each other:
Current Text:
Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Congregation: And also with you.
Deacon: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Beginning Advent 2011:
(our part changes from “And also with you” to…) And with your spirit.
Remember that this isn’t a free-for-all where we should be running across the church to shake hands with or hug someone sitting 24 pews behind us and across the center aisle. The GIRM says that we should offer the sign of peace only to those nearest to us and do so in a “sober” (calm and heart-felt) manner. See, if you greet the 5 or 6 people around you, and they greet the 5 or 6 people around them, eventually the whole congregation is connected in unity. It’s not necessary for you to shake hands with every member of the congregation to accomplish this. It’s also good to remember that if the guy sitting in front of you just cut you off on the highway on the way to church, or just sued you for pain & suffering from a car wreck, or burst his pimples at you and called your door opening request a “silly thing,” he’s still your brother in Christ, and we should forgive others of their trespasses so that we can be forgiven in a similar way and be better prepared to receive Christ in the Eucharist…which is what we’re about to do at this point in the Mass.
No comments:
Post a Comment