Topic:  Liturgical postures and gestures

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: July 8, 2005

Moderator who originally posted this source: Kathy Martyn

Question: Hi!I was wondering about the reasons behind some of the signs we make/do in mass. Why is it we bless ourselves in that specific way before the reading of the gospel? Why do we only stand for the reading of the gospel and not for the first and second readings? Why do we kneel to pray in certain instances but not others? Thanks for the help!

Answer: 

Great questions - thank you for writing!

1)Why the blessing before the Gospel?

The triple sign of the cross at the Gospel is a sign of blessing and offering our mind, our words, and our heart to God, thus the sign made on the forehead, the lips, and the heart.

2)Why do we stand for the Gospel?

Standing for the Gospel. Because of the unique presence of Christ in the proclamation of the Gospel, it has long been the custom to stand in attentive reverence to hear these words. We believe that Christ "is present in his word, since it is he himself who speaks when the holy Scriptures are read in the church" (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #7). The priest will again greet us with "The Lord be with you." He then introduces the Gospel reading while marking a small cross on his forehead, lips and heart with his thumb while praying silently that God cleans his mind and his heart so that his lips may worthily proclaim the Gospel. In many places, the congregation performs this ritual action along with the priest. The Gospel reading concludes with the ritual formula "This is the Gospel of the Lord" and we respond, "Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ," again proclaiming our faith in the presence of Christ in the word. Then we sit for the homily.

3)Why do we kneel in certain places but not others?
Kneeling signified penitence in the early Church: The awareness of our sin casts us to the ground! In the Middle Ages, kneeling came to signify the homage of a vassal before his liege lord. More recently, kneeling has come to signify humble adoration. It is for this reason that the bishops of the United States have chosen the posture of kneeling for the assembly during the Eucharistic Prayer, from after singing the Holy, Holy, until after singing the Great Amen.