Did you know Liturgy begins as the people gather? Liturgy is defined as the “work of the people”. Therefore, liturgy is not possible without a gathering of people. As we gather this weekend, the choir or cantor will be singing, “Litany of Peace.” Make this prayer your own as we prepare our minds and hearts to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
The old saying goes: “Peace begins with me.” Actually, if we think about it, peace really begins when we allow it to happen to us. At Mass, we extend the sign of peace to each other. This sign of peace is a gesture we make to the people sitting around us. In so doing, we recognize that we are responsible for our own actions, and we ask to be reconciled to the people around us, the people who encompass the Church. The Church is Christ, so when we extend the sign of peace, we become Christ to one another. We share in the hope that this peace will flood the church and extend outside the church walls into the empty spaces of our world. Jesus Christ’s love is without limits and His peace in communion with the Holy Spirit is limitless as well. It can transform our world.