I Wanna Hold Your Hand

Holding hands during The Lord's Prayer isn't proscribed in the rubrics.

WARNING - PERSONAL OPINION TO FOLLOW -

I would definitely prefer not to hold hands during the "Our Father."
I feel this way for a few reasons. From least important to most important:

• It just feels strange to me. 

• I am thinking too much about "holding hands" and not the prayer. 

Is my hand cold?  Is my hand sweating? Didn't this person just sneeze and then swipe at their nose with this hand? Why don't people at least "hold hands" instead of giving me a limp rag to hold? This guy's hand is huge! This kid's hand is sticky. I feel like I am at an AA meeting or a Girl Scout sing-along. Do I give the little squeeze before I let go here? Will they notice if I wipe my hand off because it is now all wet with perspiration.

• But mostly I do not like to hold hands during Mass because of a theological argument that Pope Benedict XVI made in his book, Spirit of the Liturgy. 

The point of holding hands is a sign of community and communion. Since this is the case, it is a misplaced sign, because we aren't truly in communion until we have exchanged the sign of peace.  This is why Communion happens after the Sign of Peace, because it is the sign of communion par excellence.