I have always wondered about some of the gestures I see
at Mass the making of the sign of the cross at the
Gospel, bowing at the Creed and shaking hands for the sign of
peace. Where do these come from? Are they required or
options, since some people do not do them? A reader in
Leesburg These gestures are prescribed in the
General Instruction of the Roman Missal, and
accordingly should be practiced by all the faithful. Each of
them also has a strong tradition in the celebration of Mass.
Concerning making the sign of the cross at the proclamation
of the Holy Gospel, after the deacon or priest says, "A
reading from the Holy Gospel according to...," he and the
faithful make the sign of the cross with the thumb on the
forehead, lips and breast over the heart. (The deacon or
priest also makes the sign of the cross on the Lectionary or
Book of the Gospels.) The first recorded instance of making
the sign of the cross at the proclamation of the Gospel is
found in the ninth century: Regimius of Auxerre (d. circa
908) in his Expositio recorded how the people in the
congregation would sign their foreheads, and the deacon would
sign his forehead and breast. By the 11th century, as
attested to by Pope Innocent III, the deacon would make the
sign of the cross on the Lectionary or Book of Gospels, and
then both he and the congregation would sign the forehead,
lips and breast. The significance of the threefold signing is
that we want to hear the Holy Gospel with an open mind,
proclaim it with our lips, and cherish and safeguard it in
our hearts. We are imploring the Lord for the grace to
receive, acknowledge and then profess the faith that has been
received in the Holy Gospel through our Lord, Jesus Christ,
the Word of God Incarnate. During the Profession of Faith
(the Nicene-Constantinopolitanum Creed) all bow at the
mystery of the incarnation: "...by the power of the Holy
Spirit, He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man." Prior
to the Novus Ordo of 1969, all genuflected at these
words, and on the Solemnity of the Annunciation and on
Christmas, we still do. The earliest record of this practice
originates in the 12th century, as found in the writings of
Blessed Peter of Cluny (d. 1156), and in the rituals of the
Carthusians and Premonstratensian orders. This physical
gesture whether bowing or genuflecting makes us
mindful of the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation, when our
Lord, Jesus Christ, entered this word for our salvation, true
God becoming also true man. Finally, the offering of a sign
of peace (formally called the "Kiss of Peace") boasts an even
greater tradition. St. Justin the Martyr (d. 165) in his
First Apology (which provides one of the earliest
written accounts of the Mass) described the offering of a
sign of peace after the readings and introductory prayers,
but before the offertory prayers. Tertullian (d. 150)
regarded the Kiss of Peace as a "seal" placed upon the
prayers offered. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386) in his
Catechetical Lectures also recorded how the deacon
would call for the congregation to exchange a sign of peace.
Moreover, St. Cyril explained, "Do not suppose that this kiss
is like those given by mutual friends in the marketplace.
Such a kiss this is not. This kiss blends souls one with
another, and woos for them forgetfulness of every injury.
This kiss, then, is a sign of the intermingling of souls and
of the banishment of every remembrance of injury. It was in
this regard that Christ said, If you are offering your
gift at the altar, and while there you remember that your
brother has something against you, leave your gift at the
altar and go out first and be reconciled to your brother; and
then come up and offer your gift. The kiss, therefore
is reconciliation, and because of this it is holy. Just so,
where the blessed Paul cried out, saying, Bid one
another welcome in a holy kiss and Peter, "In a kiss of
charity." Seen as a natural prelude before the
reception of Holy Communion and an affirmation of the whole
meaning of the Mass, Pope Innocent I in a letter to the
Bishop of Gubbio (416) mandated that the Kiss of Peace occur
after the consecration. Later, Pope Gregory the Great (d.
604) set the exchange of the Kiss of Peace after the Our
Father. Because of the growth of the size of congregations
over the centuries, how the Kiss of Peace was exchanged
evolved. By the 10th century, the Kiss of Peace began at the
altar and then emanated to the congregation. By the 13th
century a kissing board or "Pax board" (osculatorium) was
introduced which the priest kissed and then this was passed
through the congregation with each kissing it. Eventually,
the sign of peace was offered only during the High Mass as an
embrace between the priest, deacon and subdeacon. In the low
Mass the priest would simply kiss the alter and say, "Pax
tecum" followed by the response, "Et cum spiritu tuo." In the
Novus Ordo, the Kiss of Peace has been restored to its
more traditional practice. The priest may invite the
congregation to offer to each other a sign of peace
"according to local custom." Note that the priest does not
have to invite the congregation to do so; the verbal exchange
between the priest and the congregation of "The peace of the
Lord be with you always" followed by "And also with you" may
suffice for this ritual. The actual sign of peace may include
a handshake, embrace or even a kiss for a loved one. These
gestures should be taken seriously and performed reverently.
They are physical actions which help us form a proper
spiritual disposition and reverence during the Holy Sacrifice
of the Mass. Fr. Saunders is dean of the Notre Dame
Graduate School of Christendom College and pastor of Queen of
Apostles Parish, both in Alexandria. Copyright ?1998
Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.