The writings of the early church fathers speak of the holy kiss, which they call "a sign of peace", which was already part of the Eucharistic liturgy, occurring after the Lord's Prayer in the Roman Rite and the rites directly derived from it.
‘Then, after the consecration of the Holy Sacrifice of God, because he wished us also to be His sacrifice………. when the Sacrifice is finished, we say the Lord’s Prayer which you have received and recited… After this, the ‘Peace be with you’ is said, and the Christians embrace one another… This is a sign of peace…..’ Sermon 227
The source of the peace greeting is probably from the common Hebrew greeting shalom; and the greeting "Peace be with you" is similarly a translation of the Hebrew shalom aleichem.
Luke 24:36 They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said: Peace be with you
John 20:21, 20:26 The doors were closed but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said.
The Peace is that peace which Jesus said the world cannot give (John 14:27) It is a peace lived in the love of God It is a peace that connects us to the presence of the Risen Christ
The exchange of peace prior to the reception of Communion is an acknowledgement that Christ whom we receive in the Sacrament is already present in our neighbour. Communion with God in Christ is enjoyed in communion with our brothers and sisters.
"It is appropriate that each one give the sign of peace only to those who are nearest and in a sober manner. The Priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. He does likewise if for a just reason he wishes to extend the sign of peace to some few of the faithful.“ Redemptionis Sacramentum 72
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 for ever and ever. The peace of the Lord be with you always And with your spirit
In what way has this reflection challenged how you think about the sign of peace? How could this be exchanged in a way that is sober and fitting?
Jesus is the sacrificial passover lamb Who died for our sins
Behold the Lamb of God, Behold him who takes away the sin of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
The word ‘happy’ has been changed to ‘blessed’ You may be blessed even when you are experiencing sorrow Blessed connects more with our call to holiness and the proclamation of Revelation 19:9 The angel instructs John to write down the message Connects to the words of Jesus in the Gospel: It is a blessing for you when people persecute you………rejoice and be glad
The Marriage of the Lamb has come….. Fathers of the Church – union between Christ and the Church as a marriage bond A wedding feast is the ultimate banquet, most celebratory
Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured Sir, do not put yourself to any trouble because I am not worthy to have you under my roof
To receive becomes ‘that you should enter under my roof’ This makes a more direct connection with Matthew 8:8 and Luke 7:6 The centurion feels unworthy to have Jesus in his home Jesus admires the man’s faith and cures the servant from afar
We become like the centurion We are unworthy to have Jesus come to us We express our faith in him We reach out for healing We connect to the healing power of Christ in this great sacrament Only say the word and my soul shall be healed
How do you imagine the Lamb of God? In what way have you or do you experience the healing presence of Christ in the eucharist?
On the feasts of the Lord, when the faithful receive the Body of the Son, they proclaim to one another the Good News that the first fruits of life have been given, as when the angel said to Mary Magdalene, ‘Christ is risen!’ Now too are life and resurrection conferred on whoever receives Christ. Fanqith:Syriac Office, vol 1, Comm, 237 A-B