What is to be prayed for when you kneel?

[sckcd]

I have been going to Mass for a couple of months now and RCIA but still have lots to learn. We aren’t really at a Q&A time yet in RCIA (currently studying the Bible and I don’t want to throw us off course) and I am somewhat embarrassed to ask my Catholic husband and I am not sure he would be as thorough as you all at CAF will be, so here’s my question: When we sit down upon entering our pew, my husband kneels and prays. Then later on in the service there is more kneeling. Is there something specific you are to be praying for at these times or is it just between you and God?

 

[baltobetsy]

It’s great that you are able to go to Mass with your husband!

When people kneel before Mass, they are having a personal conversation with Jesus. I usually tell Him how glad I am to be there with Him, ask for blessings on the priest and my family and friends, and ask Him to open my heart to hear what He wants to tell me in the readings and the homily. I tell Him I want to receive Him with love in Holy Communion, and that I want Him to be happy to come to me. It’s really all between you and God.

Later on, the people all kneel together for the part of the Mass called the Eucharistic Prayer. During this prayer, the bread and wine will be changed into the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus. Since God is coming into our midst, we kneel out of respect and adoration as we follow the prayers.

Hope this helps!

Betsy

 

[NPC]

There are many ways one can pray before Mass - it’s really up to the individual. Some people may use set prayers and formulae to bring them into God’s presence, while others will talk to God from their heart and say what they feel they need to say to Him. I use the time to prepare specifically for the Mass - I pray that God will help me to become more united and “tuned in” to all that happens during the Mass.

As for the times when we are kneeling during the Mass: as Betsy said, kneeling is an act of respect and adoration. It is also an act of supplication and posture eminently suited to prayer. I have realised over the past number of weeks that I have never really made a huge effort to tune in to the words of the Eucharistic Prayers - in truth, I think they pass many people by. I think it’s important that we follow these prayers closely - we pray that in sharing the Body and Blood of Christ we may be brought together in unity by the Holy Spirit, we remember the Church throughout the world, with the Pope, the Bishops, clergy. We pray for the dead and ask mercy for ourselves that we may one day share Heaven with the multitude of saints who have gone before us. For myself, I’m trying to make sure that these prayers no longer pass me by - I mean, the priest is telling God that we are praying for such and such a thing, so that’s what we should be doing!

 

[samovila]

I personally recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be and have a little conversation with God. I also take the opportunity to do a final examination of conscience to make sure I’m in good shape to receive communion.

 

[mwscott]

The Manual of Prayers from the North American College in Rome (link) has some awesome “Prayers Before Mass” as well as “Prayers Before Receiving Communion,” “Prayers After Communion,” and “Prayers After Mass.” These are great prayers that I say during Mass. It also has hundreds of prayers, litanies, novenas, and even some liturgical and sacramental pages (penance, adoration and benediction etc.) I highly recommend it!

 

[Linda_Marie]

The motion before entering a pew is called genuflection. One bends the right knee to the floor, while bowing the head in the direction of the Tabernacle and crossing oneself. This is to adore Christ, who is in the Tabernacle in the reserved Host.

The Ceremonial of Bishops states it beautifully and simply (CB 69).

“A genuflection, made by bending only the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and is therefore reserved for the Blessed Sacrament, whether exposed or reserved in the tabernacle…”
Inaestimabile Donum also reflects on this beautiful expression and the related disposition of the heart (ID 26)

“This venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed, as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained. This act requires that it be performed in a recollected way. In order that the heart may bow before God in profound reverence, the genuflection must be neither hurried nor careless.” (ID 26)
Before and after Mass – It is the norm to genuflect when passing before the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. The Ceremonial of Bishops (CB 71) says,

“No one who enters a Church should fail to adore the Blessed Sacrament either by visiting the Blessed Sacrament chapel or at least by Genuflecting. Similarly those who pass before the Blessed sacrament genuflect, except when they are walking in procession.”

rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/tags/genuflect

After genuflecting, we enter the pew and kneel to pray to prepare ourselves for the reception of Holy Communion. It is a posture of a humble penitent. We examine our conscience (something we should be doing every evening before bed) for sins, both those of comission and omission. If they are mortal, one should refrain from the Eucharist. You can use your own words, bringing to God something you have been having a problem with perhaps, or you can recite one of the prayers in the missal for use in preparing one’s soul for Mass. I like the Prayer of St. Ambrose. I found it particularly helpful when I was going through a period of great dryness and had no words of my own.

We kneel at the Consecration to Adore Christ who is manifest upon the altar, as His eternal sacrifice is made present, and the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus. and remain kneeling in Adoration of Christ’s Real Presence until the reserved Hosts are placed in the Tabernacle and it is closed. During this time. you can pray using your own words or one of the prayers provided in the missal for that purpose. The kneeling is not so much of a prayer posture as that of our submission to God. I think that if we had any true inkling of what the Real Presence was, we would be flat on our faces before the Glory of God.

When you hear the priest say, “Let us pray”, we will all stand, because standing is the traditional posture of prayer.

Kneeling in prayer at other times is a just a personal preference but at Mass, it has a special meaning.

 

[StillWondering]

Here is my suggestion for the prayer time before the Mass. When I was young I was taught particular prayers by the nun to open my ears and ready my heart for this wonderful prayer that is the Sacrifice of the Mass. However, since I was not fully attentive then, I do not remember the details of the prayer to share with you. So I try to pray in my own words to ask God to open my mind and fine tune my heart for this special event. Honestly I sometimes get the prayer right and sometimes end up being totally distracted, which can lead to distraction during Mass.

Also, it is a very good idea to do an assessment of yourself to ask for God’s forgiveness and be ready for the penitent rite. The penitent rite is at the beginning of Mass after the opening prayer and before the Gloria (which is before the first reading). At this part of the Mass, I believe that with a contrite heart our venial sins are forgiven in preparation for the rest of the Mass.

 

[Reuben_J]

When we sit down upon entering our pew, my husband kneels and prays. Then later on in the service there is more kneeling. Is there something specific you are to be praying for at these times or is it just between you and God?

Been answered very well by earlier posters. Just want to point out - kneeling is an act of reverence. What would be the kind of prayers we say when we kneel? I would say mostly - it’s supplication and petition and that you are directing them to God and being aware of His presence.

Something specific: well, ask that you will have a meaningful mass where you will be able to focus your mind on it throughout. You can also dedicate the mass to your specific intention. Well, you can simply ask. Just ask. You can also thank. Just thank. You can also adore. Just adore. You can also ask for forgiveness. Just express your contrite heart. But essentially at the beginning of the mass it’s about asking.

Well, God bless you and do have a blessed mass.