Every Catholic attending Mass knows this moment by heart: as the Lord’s prayer ends, the priest turns to the people and says, “the peace of the Lord be with you always.” After the response, it’s time to… what, exactly? Shake hands with someone? Say “peace be with you?” Give the peace sign? Say hi to your friend across the aisle? What is this time really all about?
The Rite of Peace, often called the “Sign of Peace,” is a liturgical action that takes place at Mass after the Lord’s prayer and prior to Holy Communion. The idea behind the Rite of Peace is that we acknowledge Christ’s peace and share it with each other before receiving Him in the Eucharist. Once called the “Kiss of Peace,” this part of the liturgy goes back to the earliest times, though it eventually became restricted to the ministers at the altar. It was restored to all the faithful during the liturgical reforms after Vatican II.
There are two biblical precedents often cited for the Rite of Peace. First, Jesus reminds his followers: “So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23–24, RSVCE). In the Rite of Peace, we engage in a symbolic gesture of reconciliation with our fellow Christians, preparing ourselves to make our offering to God and receive His gift of Himself.
Second, St. Paul exhorts his readers in several places to “greet one another with a holy kiss” (see Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Thess. 5:26). This was a common gesture of greeting in that place and time, and Paul seems to want to elevate it to a sign of communion between members of the Body of Christ.
How the Rite of Peace is implemented may vary considerably from parish to parish, from brief and reserved to extended and exuberant. While there aren’t detailed rubrics governing this part of the liturgy, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) offers this guidance:
There follows the Rite of Peace, by which the Church entreats peace and unity for herself and for the whole human family, and the faithful express to each other their ecclesial communion and mutual charity before communicating in the Sacrament.
As for the actual sign of peace to be given, the manner is to be established by the Conferences of Bishops in accordance with the culture and customs of the peoples. However, it is appropriate that each person, in a sober manner, offer the sign of peace only to those who are nearest [GIRM 82, emphasis added].
The main idea is that the sharing of Christ’s Peace is a liturgical gesture and not a meet-and-greet, as might be found in a Protestant service. As the GIRM says, it should take place in a “sober manner,” and only with “those who are nearest.” It should not disrupt the flow of the Mass and certainly should not distract from the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In our culture, something like a brief handshake or the words “peace be with you” to those nearby is appropriate.
Another thing to note is that the Rite of Peace is optional. Though it is almost universally observed in the modern Roman rite, leaving it out would not be “wrong.” In fact, during times like flu season, skipping the Rite of Peace may be prudent.
These points should help explain how we manage the Rite of Peace at St. Mark. By not announcing it and moving quickly to the Agnus Dei, we are not discouraging the sharing of the Peace, but are simply attempting to keep it within the liturgical guidelines.
Sharing the Peace of Christ in Mass can be a profound act, symbolically binding the faithful together as they approach the Eucharist, provided it takes place within the liturgical guidelines and does not become a distraction. The intent is not to stifle personal interaction, but to keep the focus where it belongs—on our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. There is plenty of time for catching up with friends after Mass.