I have heard that the Bishops and the Pope are thinking about moving the 'sign of peace' to a different part of the Mass because it tends to take away from the most important part of the Mass; the reception of the Eucharist. The question is where to place it.
Funny post at Creative Minority Report (read the comments section, too, they are hilarious), where the author really would prefer to change the 'sign of peace' to the 'barely perceptible nod of peace'.
"[M]y preference is that the SOP is moved to before the offertory and is changed into the barely perceptible nod of peace. That way, at weekday mass, I will no longer have to sit in a pew with a minimum 5 empty pews between me and another human to insure that nobody gets any funny ideas. At five pews distance, you typically get the nod or the muted wave of peace. That is more like it. However, if somebody looks overly friendly, I increase the minimum safe distance to 8 pews and try to sit in their blind spot or behind a column if available. No sense taking chances."
I would prefer that we did not have to shake every one's hand, not for any liturgical or anti-social reason. I tend to have very cold and clammy hands, especially when it is cold. I notice that A LOT of people reach for their pant leg or shirt immediately after shaking hands with me to get rid of that wet/sweaty feeling.
|