The Kiss of Peace

I would like to encourage people and priests especially to check out a post today on the NLM blog about the kiss of peace. Most of us are familiar with how it tends to disrupt the sacred action in the mass with a moment of generic greetings. Instead of saying more i shall refer you here. It's a wonderful article by a Cistercian monk and if other things get posted ahead of it just search for the title: "NLM Guest Article: The Liturgical Kiss of Peace". Make sure to read the comments especially! there are a lot of good suggestions in there for ways to do the kiss of peace in a more dignified way that more clearly expresses the peace of Christ rather than a time to say hi to our neighbors. I think the first two comments would be my favorite options for the sign of peace. Definitely check it out! Although, getting a parish to change how they give the sign of peace might be a little challenging, i'm not sure. I would think if the change was explained, it would be better recieved? Education i at least know, would be key.
Well, i should get to my homework. Keep my friend Shawn in your prayers. He is studying abroad this semester in Oxford and has a tutorial with Fr. Aiden Nichols! His tutorial is on "the liturgical theology of Pope Benedict XVI! i hope he learns a lot. then he can come back and know what i'm talking about when i try to talk to him about liturgy :-)