The Passing Of The Peace And Hospitality

The simple gesture of greeting one's fellow worshiper in the name of Jesus paints a profound picture of the love of Christ and his church. It signals the commitment of each worshiper to each other and embodies reconciliation in the body of Christ. This article elaborates on the meaning of this simple ritual gesture and provides an example of how the thoughtful worshiper can approach every action in Christian liturgy. Before the liturgy was reformed by the Second Vatican Council, Roman Catholic Christians used to kiss just about everything during a solemn Mass except each other. During a Mass at which the bishop presided (in preconciliar days), vestments were kissed as they were put on; the altar was kissed; the censer was kissed; the book was kissed; the cruets were kissed; the paten was kissed; and at Communion time, the prelate's ring was kissed as he delivered the bread to each communicant. But when it came to human beings, the so-called "kiss of peace" in the old liturgy was a pu…