Holding Hands

[Phazzan]

At RCIA we hold hands and say the Our Father. I suppose it's better than just standing in a circle with our hands in our pockets.

[cmotherofpirl]

Lift your hands up to God instead.

[popestpiusx]

Or you could simply 'gasp' fold your hands.

[electricdisk]

[quote name='popestpiusx' date='Apr 1 2004, 04:38 AM'] The Mass is not for "feeling connected to each other."  It is the sacrifice of Calvary.  It is the offering of the Son to the Father.  Christ, present (hopefully, if the priest does his job) on the altar is the ONLY sign of unity necessary because He IS that Unity which binds the faithful together.  It's not some cheesy holding hands things.  The focus has shifted from the unity of the Church as found perfectly in Christ to some lower artificial unity of the people based on whether they are touching each other or not.... [/quote]
Amen brutha.

Edited April 1, 2004 by electricdisk

[electricdisk]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='Apr 1 2004, 08:19 AM'] Hand holding came in with the Catholic Renew program in the 80's. It changes the theology of the our Mass, but people never stopped to think about those things when it started. People forget Mass is a liturgical dance with God, and every single gesatured has an important liturgical meaning and symbolism. Changing one part inevitably changes the whole thing in some way.

I quit our church choir because I refused to be bullied into holding hands.

Our connection to each other is thru Holy Communion, not thru a touching moment. That is what the sign of peace is for. [/quote]
Amen Sista.

[Sojourner]

I used to feel very strongly that hand-holding was totally appropriate (I believe I even posted something to that effect here, because we've had this discussion before) but PedroX was at that time able to show me the error of my ways.

I'm not at the stage yet where I hate holding hands, but I don't see that, at this point in the Mass, it's defensible to argue it's appropriate.

However, I'd say that at other times, such as in RCIA, hand-holding is fine. IMHO, of course.

[popestpiusx]

While I still think it is cheesy and silly and all that, outside of Mass I have no theological problems with it. Do what you want (but don't try to grab my hand.)

[Sojourner]

Don't worry, I have absolutely no desire to hold your hand.

[popestpiusx]

:thinking: I don't know how to take that?

[Sojourner]

I'm just saying I won't be grabbing your hand, so you have no worries, about me at least.

[SemperFi]

I've always thought that holding hands during the Our Father (and the sign of peace as well) is extremely distracting, irreverent, and unnecessary, and I try to avoid it whenever possible. Concentrating on Christ and the Eucharist is alot more important in my opinion than shaking or holding hands with the person sitting next to me.

[Seek]

[quote name='BLAZEr' date='Mar 30 2004, 05:34 AM'] AMEN!

But honestly, I don't get sucked in anymore, I just bow my head and close my eyes right before the Our Father and I fold my hands. People just assume I'm intently praying and they don't bother me to hold their hands. [/quote]
Same here.