Sign of the Cross and Gospel Reading

[mabusching]

Hello all,

Could someone please tell me whether or not you are supposed to make the smaller sign of the the cross (ie forehead, lips, hearts) when the Priest does prior to the gospel reading?

The Order of the Mass doesn’t make reference to the celebrants doing so whereas it does mention things such as bowing during the Nicene Creed. I know almost everyone at my parish does cross themselves, but I wanted to know if that’s actually correct.

Thanks,

Myles

 

[puppypatrol]

Hello all,

Could someone please tell me whether or not you are supposed to make the smaller sign of the the cross (ie forehead, lips, hearts) when the Priest does prior to the gospel reading?

The Order of the Mass doesn’t make reference to the celebrants doing so whereas it does mention things such as bowing during the Nicene Creed. I know almost everyone at my parish does cross themselves, but I wanted to know if that’s actually correct.

Thanks,

Myles

Yes, you are supposed to be doing this. As you do this you should be reminding yourself that you want the Word of God always on your mind, on your lips and in your heart.

 

[mabusching]

That’s what I was always taught and assumed, but I wondered why it wasn’t in the official order of the mass put out by the USCCB.

 

[puppypatrol]

That’s what I was always taught and assumed, but I wondered why it wasn’t in the official order of the mass put out by the USCCB.

Maybe an oversite or they are also assuming everyone already knows. Most people I know do it. It isn’t like when we say the creed. Have you ever noticed how few people bow at the appropriate time?

 

[mabusching]

Very good point. It really is much more common than bowing or striking the breast (another action actually referenced in the order of the mass). I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks for your help.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

That’s what I was always taught and assumed, but I wondered why it wasn’t in the official order of the mass put out by the USCCB.

It’s in the GIRM source]:

1. At the ambo, the priest opens the book and, with hands joined, says, Dominus vobiscum (The Lord be with you), and the people respond, Et cum spiritu tuo (And also with you). Then he says, Lectio sancti Evangelii (A reading from the holy gospel), **making the sign of the cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast, which everyone else does as well. **The people say the acclamation Gloria tibi, Domine (Glory to you, Lord). The priest incenses the book, if incense is used (cf. below, nos. 276-277). Then he proclaims the Gospel and at the end says the acclamation Verbum Domini (The gospel of the Lord), to which all respond, Laus tibi, Christe (Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ). The priest kisses the book, saying quietly, Per evangelica dicta (May the words of the gospel).

 

[FrDavid96]

Hello all,

Could someone please tell me whether or not you are supposed to make the smaller sign of the the cross (ie forehead, lips, hearts) when the Priest does prior to the gospel reading?

The Order of the Mass doesn’t make reference to the celebrants doing so whereas it does mention things such as bowing during the Nicene Creed. I know almost everyone at my parish does cross themselves, but I wanted to know if that’s actually correct.

Thanks,

Myles

It is in the General Instruction (the GIRM). There might be any number of reasons why it’s not in the Order of Mass printing that you referenced, but don’t take that to mean that it isn’t there in the Mass.

As I re-read your other posts, I begin to understand. The document you’ve referenced isn’t an “official” one–it’s simply a helpful guide. Also, if something is called an “order of Mass” it’s intended to be only a summary; by the very nature of the thing, it’s not supposed to be complete, but is supposed to be a quick reference. You won’t see the words “this is my Body” printed there either, but of course they’re part of the Mass too.

 

[JOL]

Even though there are times at Mass when we are to “strike our breast” why doesn’t anyone do this anymore?

 

[katiebelle08]

Even though there are times at Mass when we are to “strike our breast” why doesn’t anyone do this anymore?

I think basically the transition from Vatican I to II and most people are getting so liberal on things and so many parishes like to almost make their own rules. Some priests do things differently from others too. We had a priest once telling us what we can and can not do. And it was not appointed straight from our bishop it was what he wanted.

Another thing is, people today are not reconizing all the ways of being reverent at Mass any more.

 

[mabusching]

I appreciate the responses. Thanks for the actual link, SuscipeMeDomine. I was able to look that up. It just seems odd to me (and maybe it’s related to the above comments regarding the well-known and practiced nature thereof) that the order of the mass did not include it.

FrDavid96, thanks for the clarification as to the intent of the order of the mass. I was referencing the official order of the mass published by the Committee of Divine Worship of the USCCB. It just doesn’t say anything about it, presumably because it is a summary. Here’s the link if anyone’s interested.

Like I said before, it’s something I was always taught, but didn’t see it in the publication. I’ve also noticed people not doing it more often at mass so I wasn’t sure.

Thanks for all the (name removed by moderator)ut!

In regards to the non-practice of traditional gestures, I feel that this is due to a lack of knowledge more than anything. My girlfriend’s entire family is Catholic and she went to Catholic school her entire life, but she didn’t know that bowing or striking the breast were part of the mass. She’d never heard of bowing your head/crossing yourself when passing a church until recently. I don’t know if that’s typical, but I get the feeling that it is when talking to people, especially the priests. Thoughts?

 

[japhy]

Even though there are times at Mass when we are to “strike our breast” why doesn’t anyone do this anymore?

Ignorance, most likely. By which I mean simply: they don’t know to do it, and they don’t see their priests doing it. That’s the same reason why many Catholics don’t make a profound bow during the Creed (during the words professing belief in the Incarnation), nor a bow of the head at the name of Jesus.
There are two forms of bowing: a bow of the head and a bow of the body (bending at the waist, known as a “profound bow”). Bowing, like kneeling, is a way of expressing humility and honor. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who go to the temple to pray; both stand to pray, but the tax collector “would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’” The word supplices is found in the first sentence of the Roman Canon (Eucharistic Prayer I); this Latin word denotes beseeching or imploring God in humility (i.e. on one’s knees). The word “supplication” comes from the Latin supplices. Cardinal Ratzinger translates the word as “bowing low, we implore thee.” (The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 205)

Throughout the liturgy, a bow of the head is made whenever the three Divine Persons are named together (“the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”), as well as at the name of Jesus. This was codified by Pope Gregory X at the Second Council of Lyons in 1274:

Each should fulfill in himself that which is written for all that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head. (Constitution 25)A bow of the head is also made at Mary’s name and at the name of the saint(s) being honored that day. If you receive Holy Communion standing up, you should make a bow of the head as a sign of reverence just before you receive. (cf. GIRM 275a, 160)

A bow of the body is made to the altar (which is a symbol of Christ) and during the Profession of Faith – during the words “by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man” in the Nicene Creed, and the words “who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary” in the Apostles’ Creed. (cf. GIRM 275b) This bow is replaced by a genuflection on two occasions, described below.

Praying the Mass: The Prayers of the People, pp. 33-34​

When the Confiteor is prayed in the Act of Penitence at the beginning of Mass, we beat our breasts at the words “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa” (in English, that’s presently just “through my own fault”).

I was referencing the official order of the mass published by the Committee of Divine Worship of the USCCB. It just doesn’t say anything about it, presumably because it is a summary. Here’s the link if anyone’s interested.

Yes, that is a very authoritative reference, but the Roman Missal is not the “complete” source of the rubrics of the Mass, which is why the GIRM (its General Instruction) is included, and why priests should be very familiar with both!

I’ve also noticed people not doing it more often at mass so I wasn’t sure. … In regards to the non-practice of traditional gestures, I feel that this is due to a lack of knowledge more than anything.

I agree completely. Not only do the people in the pews not know about it, but the priests don’t either, and thus they don’t set a good example for the faithful entrusted to them. Or, worse yet, the priests do know, but ignore it or don’t bother teaching the faithful.

 

[FrDavid96]

…

FrDavid96, thanks for the clarification as to the intent of the order of the mass. I was referencing the official order of the mass published by the Committee of Divine Worship of the USCCB. It just doesn’t say anything about it, presumably because it is a summary. Here’s the link if anyone’s interested.
…

Keep in mind that it isn’t an official text, even though it’s being distributed by the USCCB. That’s why it has “study text only” stamped on all the pages. The official version may still have some changes when it is finally approved.

Even the current Sacramentary uses similar words. There’s no mention of the congregation doing the same gesture. This is probably done because most of the congregation doesn’t “use” the Sacramentary itself to follow the Mass.

The GIRM 134 still contains the directions for the congregation to use this gesture, so I rather doubt it will be changed.

Thanks for the link. When you said “order of Mass” I was thinking of something different (like a single page summary). Even so, all of the directions for the Mass are contained in different documents/sources and there is no single book which has every word and every rubric for the Mass. We need to have the Sacramentary, the Lectionary, and the GIRM, and consult all of them for the complete picture.

That’s a long way of saying that the absence of the rubric for the congregation to make the 3 crosses on that particular page doesn’t mean that this will be changing.

 

[bpbasilphx]

I think basically the transition from Vatican I to II and most people are getting so liberal on things and so many parishes like to almost make their own rules. Some priests do things differently from others too. We had a priest once telling us what we can and can not do. And it was not appointed straight from our bishop it was what he wanted.

Another thing is, people today are not reconizing all the ways of being reverent at Mass any more.

Crossing, striking one’s breast, bowing, and other such physical expressions of reverence and piety have always been matters more of custom (frequently local) than of law. Sometimes they are eventually enshrined in rubrics.

This is one thing where the first Book of Common Prayer had the right idea: "It shall suffice as every man’s devotion shall serve, without blame.

In most of these practices, there is not really a right or wrong way: just more common, less common, or uncommon.

Unity need not mean uniformity.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The 2002 Missale Romanum has, in the Order of Mass part, on page 511.
“Diaconus, vel sacerdos:
Lectio sancti Evangelii secundum N.,
et interim signat librum et seipsum in fronte, ore et pectore.”

I am unsure what “seipsum” means. But I am fairly sure this does not spell out that everyone is to make the sign on their mouth, lips and chest. I am not sure why, but I suspect it was just an oversight.

The 2002 GIRM has: “134. … Then he says, Lectio sancti Evangelii (A reading from the holy gospel), making the sign of the cross with his thumb on the book and on his forehead, mouth, and breast, which everyone else does as well.”

The Latin for this is: “134. … et deinde Lectio sancti Evangelii, pollice signans librum et seipsum in fronte, ore et pectore, quod faciunt et ceteri omnes.” (Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 511).

My recollection is that the 1975 GIRM did not direct everyone to make the three crosses. The 1984 Ceremonial of Bishops did direct everyone to do it.

In 2008 changes were made to the Missale Romanum, but my understanding is that there are no changes from 2002 in what I have written above.