again and again in the New Testament. St. Paul began all of
his letters with a prayer for peace. In John chapter 20, after
the resurrection, Jesus greets His disciples twice with the words,
“Peace be with you.” And at the Last Supper, Jesus said words that
our priests repeat at every Mass. “Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give to you.” After a brief prayer, the priest or deacon invites the
congregation to offer one another a sign of peace.
The words of Jesus from Matthew chapter 5 should come to mind
for us. Jesus said, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and
there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your
gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come and offer your gift.”
Many people will embrace family members and shake hands
with those around them. This is a time of charity and unity before
receiving our Lord.
There are times when the priest or bishop may omit the exchange
of peace. This sometimes happens when there are highly contagious
also be times when you or someone else may not be feeling well
and don’t want to pass along any germs. In those cases, a simple
smile and the words “Peace be with you” will suffice.
For further study:
John 20:19-23 • John 14:27 • Matthew 5:21-26
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The Sign of Peace
Peace is a hallmark of the Christian life. The word is used
diseases that may be prevalent in a local area. There may
Notes