The crossing of forehead, lips, and heart

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aljamieson

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Hi all.

I just recently joined, and joined because of a question that I have had for quite a while regarding the Gospel Proclamation. It is this:

The entire congregation crosses their forehead, lips, and heart at the beginning of the Gospel Proclamation, while saying “Glory to you, Lord.” This seems to me to be in imitation of the priest who is reading the gospel, with a single exception: The priest crosses the page of the lectionary which he is reading from before the rest. Should I do this as well?

Actually, I guess it’s more of an observation than a question. I’ve looked everywhere and have never seen this addressed. I figured this lively forum the best place to come.

In peace,
Alan
 
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aljamieson:
Hi all.

I just recently joined, and joined because of a question that I have had for quite a while regarding the Gospel Proclamation. It is this:

The entire congregation crosses their forehead, lips, and heart at the beginning of the Gospel Proclamation, while saying “Glory to you, Lord.” This seems to me to be in imitation of the priest who is reading the gospel, with a single exception: The priest crosses the page of the lectionary which he is reading from before the rest. Should I do this as well?

Actually, I guess it’s more of an observation than a question. I’ve looked everywhere and have never seen this addressed. I figured this lively forum the best place to come.

In peace,
Alan
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This action by the faithful is not called for in the GIRM specifically, nor is it explicitly forbidden. Except for the person reading the Gospel. I however remember doing this back since the early 60’s so it’s nothing new.
 
I was told that this motion means for us:

(loosley translated)

May the Gospel words remain:

in my head

on my lips

and in my heart.

I say this silently to myself as I bless my head, lips, and heart.
 
Yes! Do it. It is a lovely gesture. Whilst doing it I add the following prayer:

+Forhead - Lord Jesus Christ, Imprint your word on my mind
+Lips - May I never be afraid to defend it or share it with others
+Heart - and may I treasure it in my heart forever.

Something I have received through an inspiration.

God Bless,
 
Hi again…

I do it, but sometimes I forget to. Everyone I know does it, and it just seems kind of natural. But my question was poorly phrased. My question is not whether I should cross my head, lips, and heart, but rather since we are praying in imitation of the priest, should I cross the scripture reading in the missal as well? I’m guessing that it really makes no difference…

A small point, and ultimately not all that important, I guess. I ask only in the interest of satisfying my curiousity.

In peace,
Alan
 
St. Monica:
I was told that this motion means for us:

(loosley translated)

May the Gospel words remain:

in my head

on my lips

and in my heart.

I say this silently to myself as I bless my head, lips, and heart.
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I do this as well.

On another thread, there was some concern that a different gesture not be used by the laity because it imitiates the priests gesture (orans position at the Our Father). Actually, the laity following the action at the Gospel is in imitation of the priest as well, and never specifically called for the the norms.
 
I can see this as neutral, unlike something else that happens in many parishes. A lot of times, the priest will say, “The Lord be with you” with his arms extended, and the people will say, “And also with you” with their arms extended. The posture of the priest is appropriate because it is a priestly gesture. It is not something the lay fatihful are to imitate.

Notice, if a deacon is properly trained, when he goes up to read the Gospel, he does not say “The Lord be with you” with his arms extended. They should be folded because, again, it is a priestly gesture. Even when priests read the Gospel they don’t use the gesture because they are functioning as a substitute deacon (who, ideally, should be reading the Gospel).
 
I really don’t like immitating the priest in anyway.

Here in Orlando we have a priest, on tv nevertheless, (Father Giel from CCTN, way too liberal for my taste), that wrongly does it. Here’s basically what happens after the priest says “the Lord be with you,” and the folks reply “and also with you”…a word in the last part my be off but you get the picture.

Priest: May this reading of the Good News according to (Mathew, Mark, Luke, or John) be on our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts.

Since when was THAT a proper and fitting translation of the Latin? I’ve contacted the Bishop’s office and they allow it. But the neo conservative churches here they raid looking for financial abuse that never happened. Why do prosecute me?! :confused: :mad: :ehh:
 
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EddieArent:
. . .

Priest: May this reading of the Good News according to (Mathew, Mark, Luke, or John) be on our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts.

Since when was THAT a proper and fitting translation of the Latin? I’ve contacted the Bishop’s office and they allow it. But the neo conservative churches here they raid looking for financial abuse that never happened. Why do prosecute me?! :confused: :mad: :ehh:
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May the Gospel words remain: in my head, on my lips, and in my heart. is a loose translation of the gesture, not of the words the priest/deacon should be saying at this point. This should be both his prayer and ours.
The priest or deacon should be saying Sequentia sancti Evangelii secundum N. = The continuation of the Holy Gospel according to Saint N. to which we respond Glory be to Thee O Lord.
 
Exactly. I’ve raised objections. I’m just repeating what this particular priest wrongly says on a weekly basis on tv. But most people here don’t take me seriously since I don’t donate a lot of $$$$ (I give what I can though).
 
I also was taught it was “May the Gospel words remain: in my head, on my lips, and in my heart.”
 
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katherine2:
I do this as well.

On another thread, there was some concern that a different gesture not be used by the laity because it imitiates the priests gesture (orans position at the Our Father). Actually, the laity following the action at the Gospel is in imitation of the priest as well, and never specifically called for the the norms.
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You are spreading misinformation.
The original poster stated this…
“The entire congregation crosses their forehead, lips, and heart at the beginning of the Gospel Proclamation, while saying “Glory to you, Lord.” This seems to me to be in imitation of the priest who is reading the gospel, with a single exception: The priest crosses the page of the lectionary which he is reading from before the rest.”

By crossing your head, lips and heart you are NOT doing what the priest is doing.
At the point of the Lord’s Prayer, the priest SHOULD be welcoming his flock to the Word of God, not looking up. His arms are extended for that welcome.
If you are extending your arms, you are not doing what the Priest is doing, you can’t. It is not your flock.
God is on the Altar at that point.

This gesture is specific under Postures and gestures…
“Because it was by his death on the cross that Christ redeemed humankind, we trace the sign of the cross on our foreheads, lips and hearts at the beginning of the Gospel”

usccb.org/liturgy/girm/bul3.shtml
 
GIRM:
134. 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).
 
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