Physical Gestures During Mass

[phil19034]

Where is that written? Were that the case, crossing ourselves as Latin Rite Catholics from left to right (which began by the faithful imitating the priest) would be forbidden.

So would 100% harmless things like crossing the Gospel reading in a missalette with one’s right thumb before crossing one’s forehead, lips and heart.

The crossing ourselves as Latin Catholics from left to right isn’t really us “copying” the priests.

The below is from this blog post on Patheos: patheos.com/blogs/religionqanda/2016/07/why-do-the-catholics-and-orthodox-cross-themselves-differently/

*The right-to-left action still used in Orthodoxy was “universal for the whole Church until about the 12th Century,” writes Virginia Catholic priest William Saunders. To this day, Catholic priests and parishioners always make the sign using the right hand, even if they are left-handed. One explanation for this preference is that Jesus depicted the separation of good sheep on the right from evil goats on the left at the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:33).

The 13th Century Pope Innocent III indicated a shift was beginning to occur. He said right to left signified that the faith extended from the Jews (right) to the Gentiles (left). But, he continued, others reverse the order because a Christian moves from “misery” (left) to “glory” (right) “just as Christ crossed over from death to life.” A late medieval explanation said Jesus suffered for us (left) and then ascended to heaven (the preferred right). Theologians have offered other versions.
*

BTW - I’ve never seen anyone cross the Gospel in their missalette

 

[Don_Ruggero]

The orans posture is a perfectly legitimate gesture for prayer.

What would be proscribed and would be adopting a gesture reserved to the Presider would be, for example, for the laity to employ an epicletic gesture relative to the confection of the Eucharist.

 

[Solomonson]

The crossing ourselves as Latin Catholics from left to right isn’t really us “copying” the priests.

The below is from this blog post on Patheos: patheos.com/blogs/religionqanda/2016/07/why-do-the-catholics-and-orthodox-cross-themselves-differently/

The right-to-left action still used in Orthodoxy was “universal for the whole Church until about the 12th Century,” writes Virginia Catholic priest William Saunders. To this day, Catholic priests and parishioners always make the sign using the right hand, even if they are left-handed. One explanation for this preference is that Jesus depicted the separation of good sheep on the right from evil goats on the left at the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:33).

The 13th Century Pope Innocent III indicated a shift was beginning to occur. He said right to left signified that the faith extended from the Jews (right) to the Gentiles (left). But, he continued, others reverse the order because a Christian moves from “misery” (left) to “glory” (right) “just as Christ crossed over from death to life.” A late medieval explanation said Jesus suffered for us (left) and then ascended to heaven (the preferred right). Theologians have offered other versions.

I’m not so sure that’s an authoritative blog…

BTW - I’ve never seen anyone cross the Gospel in their missalette

So?

 

[Solomonson]

Article 6 § 2.

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cclergy/documents/rc_con_interdic_doc_15081997_en.html

Nothing I listed falls under " Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant."

Not a one.

On the other hand, if I was standing in the pews with a chalice of wine and a paten of hosts, elevating them and paying along with the celebrant, then yes, I would be in violation of your Article 6 § 2.

 

[DaveBj]

Nothing I listed falls under " Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant."

Not a one.

On the other hand, if I was standing in the pews with a chalice of wine and a paten of hosts, elevating them and paying along with the celebrant, then yes, I would be in violation of your Article 6 § 2.

It’s not “my Article 6 § 2”; it’s Rome’s. You asked; I answered. Anyway, like I have said above, nobody has pinned a “Liturgical Police” badge on me. When I am at Mass, I keep my own hands folded and my eyes closed. Most of the time.

 

[pnewton]

I would be cautious about using words like “deafening silence”, or reading into some possible motive to not wish to be rigid.

Cardinal Arinze used the word “regiment”. He stated that such gestures were okay as long as they are not proscribed.

I think most people use the gestures for the same reason they wave when some waves at them, even though it is clear from the first wave they were seen. We do seem to respond in kind to others who actions. Using our hands and arms in some sort of gesture is what we do as humans.

Yes, there has been silence on this issue from the Holy See. All we have is a handful of different, individual opinions. I do not know if this silence is deafening, but it does lead me to believe that over the decades this may be shown to be a type of organic development within the liturgy.

Then again, nothing may ever be said. The GIRM has nothing about folding one’s hands and that is a pretty common gesture, or bowing at the name of Jesus during the Gloria. I have seen that a lot.

 

[Rahn]

True… but I know people who only do this when praying the Our Father during Mass and do not do it when praying the prayer outside of Mass.

That’s probably true, but what better time, with the consecrated Lord on the altar, to express total surrender to Him?

I prefer people being a bit out of the norm but giving honest worship to the Lord at Mass over those that are “technically correct”, but have no heart in their participation.

 

[Monty61]

That’s probably true, but what better time, with the consecrated Lord on the altar, to express total surrender to Him?

I prefer people being a bit out of the norm but giving honest worship to the Lord at Mass over those that are “technically correct”, but have no heart in their participation.

2 points:
You’re creating a false dichotomy. It IS possible to have honest worship for the Lord, AND be technically correct. In fact I would say that being technically correct IS more honest, in that folded hands and quiet prayer give worship to the Lord. Raising your hands and making up your own gestures, or copying those appropriate only to the priest, or being too ostentatious draws attention to yourself, whether it’s for satisfaction of your own pride, or trying to draw the acclamation of others.

What’s more honest? Anyone can make external gestures. The need to make them kind of implies that the need of a person to make them comes from an internal dissatisfaction. For example in my job if I meet a colleague for the first time and they verbally state “I always do things by the book.” What’s my first thought? This guy does nothing by the book! If he always did things as he said, there’s no need to state it.