A random Sunday observation:
As part of communion during Mass, we Catholics say the Our Father prayer (aka The Lord’s Prayer) followed by the Sign of Peace, where we all shake hands with the people standing around us and say “Peace be with you.” Between the two, the Priest rattles off a little introduction to the Sign of Peace that takes about 30 seconds.
It’s become customary in many Catholic churches, especially the one I go to at the local college campus, to hold hands during the Our Father. Many people lift their interlocked hands in the air during the end part that goes “For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever” before letting go of each other.
It’s at this point, as the Priest is rattling off his transition to the Sign of Peace, that I love to look around the pews at the couples that are there. Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for hand holding, but it always makes me smile to see a couple who doesn’t let go of one another’s hands after the Our Father is over but chooses instead to hang on for that extra 30 seconds.
Awwwww!
OMG! I love that too. There was an older couple in front of me last night who held hands during that time and I thought “How sweet!” Sign.
This is a very nice sentiment, and it gives me a new way to think about the hand holding at mass. I never hold hands with others during the Our Father, not even my own family members. Our church started doing it probably about 10 years ago, but my mother has always told us that the Our Father is our time for private prayer, so we never do it (Also, I do not like to touch strangers. Sad but true. In fact, I really don’t even like to hold hands with people I do know and love). I am sure the church does not agree with us on that thought, but it’s our little family ritual. I like your take on it though. Very sweet.
Awww. I especially love to see old couples holding hands. So sweet.
Em: I was totally against the hand-holding thing during the Our Father when it first started happening, but I’ve softened in recent years. Don’t know why.
I have stranger touching issues too. But that does sound very sweet.
We used to hold hands in college, and one of the parishes I used to sing at in high school. I do see quite a few couples and families at our church who hold hands, it always makes me smile. I look at it as an extension of the community. We reach out for each other. And it’s assuring to know there’s someone there.