kneeling

Father Mateo (76776.306@compuserve.com)
21 Feb 96 09:40:35 EST

960131.03
> From: "Daniel C. McKenzie" <mckenzie@mail.gnn.com>
> Date: Wed, 31 Jan 1996 15:08:21 -0600
> To: cinaskf@catinfo.cts.com
> Subject: Re: kneeling
>
> The time I mean is When the priest raises the Body of
> Christ and says "This is the Lamb of God Who takes away the
> sins of the world, happy are we who are called to his
> supper". We respond with "Lord I am not worthy.....". The
> people have always knelt at this time, just before rising to
> walk up to communion. In the LaCrosse Wisconsin area, many
> churches have the people standing at this time. I was just
> wondering if this is allowed. I'd prefer to kneel since I'm
> saying "I'm not worthy to receive...", but feel out of place
> if most others are standing.
>
> Thank you.

Dear Daniel,

At the triple invocation: "Lamb of God ..." just after the Sign
of Peace, we should remain standing; then kneel at the priest's
words: "This is the Lamb of God". If this short period of
kneeling (before rising to go forward for Communion) seems
inconvenient, then I suppose we could remain standing, although
the people's response: "Lord, I am not worthy ..." certainly
indicates that kneeling is the proper posture of humble
supplications at this point of the Mass.

I don't think you should feel "out of place", whatever you choose
to do. Christian freedom is a Gospel value (2nd Cor. 3:17; Gal.
5:1,13), but I am not aware of any virtue call "Christian
uniformity", except for Ephesians 4:5, which is not talking
about etiquette at Mass. I do think that there are many
unauthorized liturgical fascists out there, who "have slipped in
to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 2:4).
With St. Paul, we ought to say, "To them we did not submit even
for a moment" (v. 5).

Sincerely in Christ,
Father Mateo

- Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit -

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