"When worshipers arrive at church, they are welcomed to the worship. There are different ways in which this welcoming is achieved, just as there are different ways of welcoming guests to one's home. But the first thing to remember is that worshipers are not in church primarily to welcome one another, nor should it be thought that the minister is playing host to the congregation. They are gathered to meet God; God is, in a sense, the host, and we are being welcomed into his presence. This is why the greeting is not "How are you this morning?"--which is often heard in churches that seek to make the service friendly to the visitor. The appropriate greeting is a mutual salutation, "The Lord [or, The peace of the Lord] be with you," and the congregation responds, "And also with you." When the minister says, "The peace of the Lord be with you," and the congregation responds, "And also with you," they are joined together in peace. "The Salutation joins the participants in the action through the gift transmitted through it." The state that defines the community that gathers in the name of Jesus to worship the triune God is peace, that is, reconciliation. If there is no reconciliation between God and people and between people, there can be no true worshiping community."
Liturgical Theology by Simon Chan
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