The Next Time You Genuflect

[odile53]

I really liked the background given by Andre, and had never thought about it in that way.

As a retired ballet dancer, and a physical therapy student, I’m a little aghast at the way I see some people attempting to genuflect. They try to put weight on both legs and then bend their knees with an almost twisting motion of the upper body. That’s a ticket to the operating room! I always assume that either they weren’t taught how to genuflect safely, or are trying to favor an old injury. I’m not trying to be critical, but it is downright scary to watch, and if I’m sitting at the end of a pew, I am poised to give them a hand if they can’t get up again. I’ve done this on a couple of occasions.

There is a trick to genuflecting safely. Keep your back straight, and shift your weight to one leg, the leg whose knee will touch (or for the less limber) approximately touch the floor. Start to bend both knees, and as you feel the heel of the rear leg (the one where the knee is heading to the floor) start to rise off the floor, shift your weight to the front leg (the one that is bent in a way that it would be if you were sitting in a chair.) Don’t hang out in the bottom of the genuflection, immediately start to rise by keeping your weight over that front leg and straightening that knee. As you are executing this move, make the Sign of the Cross with your right hand.

 

[Acolythus_sum]

Odile53: Altar boys (at least here) are trained to genuflect by putting the weight on the left leg and then stepping back with the right leg, touching the ground with the right knee next to or a little behind the left foot…

 

[At_Trent]

Excellent post and timing as we approach Holy Week.

 

[PaulinVA]

But my genuflection would appear to be half-hearted to an observer. Although I look very healthy and able, my knees don’t flex more than to a certain point, and also I’ve had several painful stress fractures in my feet so avoid bending them if I can. I try to make up for it with a deep bow of the head at the same time, though.

i think more people have problems with their knees or backs than is obvious, to be honest.

I am referring to the people that it’s obvious that they are genuflecting without even slowing down as they pass the tabernacle. I, too, am starting to feel my age in my knees, and I am slow to get up. My point is the reverence.

In my original post I wanted to use a common phrase (half-a**ed) that made my point. Half genuflection didn’t really convey my point. If you’re not going to come to a complete stop, attempt to genuflect, bless yourself, and then get up, why bother? You’re almost showing irreverence if you don’t, you know?

 

[paperwight66]

Actually, thinking about it, I can’t remember seeing anyone cross themselves while genuflecting. Certainly, I’ve never seen a priest do so, and I’d have thought they were a good guide to correct behaviour. I don’t mean during Mass, when they wouldn’t anyway, but just out and about in the church, I’ve never seen anyone, priests included, crossing themselves while genuflecting. I think it must be local to America - perhaps to do with the original missionary orders/teaching nuns?

So I don’t think it can be generally required officially - i.e. there’s no ‘should’.

 

[JohnMPhilomena]

Wonderful post. Sounds like you need to pick Andre’s brain for more insights! And then of course pass them along to the rest of us!

 

[PaulinVA]

, I’ve never seen anyone, priests included, crossing themselves while genuflecting. I think it must be local to America - perhaps to do with the original missionary orders/teaching nuns?
.

Well, I did grow up in the South, taught by Irish nuns in grade school…

 

[odile53]

@ Acolythus–That is a good technique for someone with healthy knees. I tried it, and had no trouble with it, but my knees and back are still very healthy and strong. Most middle age people have some damage. What I’m recommending is for someone who may have some arthritis or cartilage damage.

Maybe someone in some parishes should give “genuflexion lessons” to the less limber! Like I think I mentioned, I’ve had to help a few people get back up when their old or injured knees just weren’t cooperating!

 

[jeanannemarie]

It sounds to me as if most people in the US genuflect and make the sign of the cross. Have we come to any conclusion or do we just keep doing what we have been doing, in my case, both at once? I thought perhaps I was doing something inappropriate. I want to be corrected, but there appears to be no resolution here. Is our discussion over then? I liked the ideas for safer for the knee genuflecting techniques. Knees are injured easily, so thanks for the tip and reminder.

 

[JRKH]

It sounds to me as if most people in the US genuflect and make the sign of the cross. Have we come to any conclusion or do we just keep doing what we have been doing, in my case, both at once? I thought perhaps I was doing something inappropriate. I want to be corrected, but there appears to be no resolution here. Is our discussion over then? I liked the ideas for safer for the knee genuflecting techniques. Knees are injured easily, so thanks for the tip and reminder.

The resolution is this. There is no firm teaching on this matter. Therefore do what you feel comfortable with. You need no correction, you are doing just fine.

Peace
James

 

[Wandering_Home]

Thank you so much for this post! I have really learned something special about genuflection. I will certainly be thinking of the Roman soldiers and making reparation the next time I genuflect at Mass.

 

[faithfully]

Ok… Can we extend this topic a bit.

Which BTW, when I went to church, these thoughts went right through me as I genuflected… Added a little something.

NOW…

At my church, the tabernacle is on the far right. Not up front and center.

And there is a HUGE Jesus “floating” (obviously secured somehow) above the center alter.

The pews are in a large sort of semi circle… not quite, but it’s a large span.

So, now, when I walk in and genuflect, I do so facing the Jesus statue… and I wonder. Really, shouldn’t that be toward the tabernacle? Which, if you happen to be sitting on the extreme right… is STILL further to your right. And if you sit anywhere to the left you’d be genuflecting more towards other people… who are blocking the view of the tabernacle…

Thoughts???

 

[JohnMPhilomena]

Ok… Can we extend this topic a bit.

Which BTW, when I went to church, these thoughts went right through me as I genuflected… Added a little something.

NOW…

At my church, the tabernacle is on the far right. Not up front and center.

And there is a HUGE Jesus “floating” (obviously secured somehow) above the center alter.

The pews are in a large sort of semi circle… not quite, but it’s a large span.

So, now, when I walk in and genuflect, I do so facing the Jesus statue… and I wonder. Really, shouldn’t that be toward the tabernacle? Which, if you happen to be sitting on the extreme right… is STILL further to your right. And if you sit anywhere to the left you’d be genuflecting more towards other people… who are blocking the view of the tabernacle…

Thoughts???

I attend a church that also has the tabernacle on the right side. As I walk to my pew, I pause in a location where I can see the tabernacle and genuflect there toward the tabernacle. And yes there are occassionally people in line with the tabernacle - I think they know I am not kneeling to them.

 

[NeedImprovement]

Here is an inspiring one-page reflection given by His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze –
Prefect of the *Congregation of Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments * entitled Cardinal Arinze on the need for Eucharistic reverence .

Cardinal Arinze underpins the importance of religious signs and gestures for all of the faithful - both members of the ministerial priesthood, and members of the common priesthood. He centers this importance on the Eucharist as the object of our focus , but explains by simple examples, how our gestures which extend to tabernacle and church (the building itself) always converge on or have originated from the Eucharist.

For example :
" It is a beautiful practice that people who are near a church or chapel where the august Sacrament is reserved should pay visits to Our Lord, short or long as the case may be. There is also the praiseworthy habit of making the sign of the cross or bowing when one drives past such a sacred place."

He answers a lot of different questions in this one article by reminding us that the Holy Eucharist is our point of reference, (or as Lumen Gentium No. 11] says : “the source and summit of the Christian life.” ) .

(His article pointed out to me several areas I could personally use a little work on - areas which appear to confirm my choice of user name , ].

 

[NeedImprovement]

Last Sunday (Palm Sunday) I let André know that his reflection on genuflecting had been posted on a thread (had to explain to him a little about how an internet forum works - as this was well before his time) . At that time, I told him that roughly 500 people had read about it… we’re now approaching double that.

I mentioned some of the replies to him ( a little difficult because I have to translate it roughly into french), and he was to say the least, edified to know that he is now sharing this with so many people.

When I mentioned oacevedo1’s post -

I love this post. Thanks for sharing. As we (my family) enters the Church and start to look for a place to seat, I quite frequently remind my kinds of the Genuflect. However, I could not explain to them in great detail why it is so important. Once again, thanks for now I have better way to explain why we Genuflect.

, his eyes opened a little wider when he was told that this way was being explained to children too !

JohnMPhilomena:

Wonderful post. Sounds like you need to pick Andre’s brain for more insights! And then of course pass them along to the rest of us!

If you only knew how many times I wished I could have done that with so many patients )). Instead, I just have to wait until they present these things (and pray I’m awake enough to perceive them when that happens).

I wish everyone a holy Truiduum.

 

[DaveBj]

I’m repeating others, but…

A fine post. Thank you, NI, and tell Andre “Merci!” from me.

I thank God that even at my “advanced” age, I am still able to genuflect easily.

DaveBj

 

[JRKH]

I’m repeating others, but…

A fine post. Thank you, NI, and tell Andre “Merci!” from me.

I thank God that even at my “advanced” age, I am still able to genuflect easily.

DaveBj

Dave - I see you are in Cullman AL. Have you been over to the Ave Maria Grotto?
I was there a couple of times years ago…Beautiful Place

James

 

[DaveBj]

Dave - I see you are in Cullman AL. Have you been over to the Ave Maria Grotto?
I was there a couple of times years ago…Beautiful Place

James

Yes, fairly regularly.

I feel blessed to live in Cullman. Alabama may be part of the Baptist Bible Belt, but Cullman is the Catholic buckle on that belt. The county has three monasteries, two of which are major tourist attractions, and a thriving parish church. I was Baptist when I came here, but I’ve been Catholic for 6 years now.

(There is a fourth monastery, but it’s not in communion with Rome, and we won’t talk about it here )

DaveBj

 

[TheRealJuliane]

This is a really beautiful thread.

I learned on this forum just a few weeks ago that if the tabernacle is not inside the church proper, I should make a deep bow toward the altar instead of genuflection. But if the tabernacle is visible, I should always genuflect. One church I attend has the tabernacle off to the side in a separate room, and I do not pass it as I enter the church. So I now make a bow to the altar as I go into my pew.

In the other church I attend, the tabernacle is inside the church itself, as I believe is proper, so there, I do genuflect and cross myself as a dedication to Our Lord Jesus.

Yesterday I saw so many people doing a slight “dip” as they hurried into the pews…or nothing much at all. But since the tabernacle was empty, I did a full bow instead. I hope I did the right thing.

Non-Catholics get the wrong idea that we are all caught up in form and details. But it is our desire to always be aware of and honor Our Savior that drives us to want to “do it right.” Details and outward forms ARE important as a symbol and sign of our devotion and love.

 

[IrishRush]

Having watched The Passion of the Christ just yesterday evening and still having the visuals fresh in my memory, this post truly means something to me. I will never genuflect again without thinking of this. One of my strongest feelings after watching The Passion is always shame at how Jesus was treated, the humiliation they tried to subject him to. And of course shame at how my own sins add to the weight of his cross. I promise you, from this day forward I will think of these things whenever I kneel before Jesus in the Tabernacle.
Thank you for posting this and please express my profound gratitude to Andre for teaching this to me.
Wishing you and Andre a truly blessed Easter.