Why do people put their heads down before/after Eucharist?

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Goblin_Taters

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I notice that a lot of people (and for some reason especially those around my age: late teens, early twenties) quite visibly put their heads down either before or after receiving the Eucharist. Oftentimes they put their head in their hands, as if terribly sorrowful for something, such as their sins. I almost feel guilty for not doing the same thing.

Do other people here ever do this? I never have felt compelled to do this, but I’m wondering if other people can perhaps explain to me what is going on in these peoples’ minds. (I know you can’t read their minds; but perhaps you can tell me what goes through your mind, if you’d like). Are some of these people filled with guilt for past sins? Is the gesture from the heart? Is it more habitual than spontaneous? Thanks for any insights! 🙂
 
I usually put my head into my hands after I receive the Eucharist and pray very hard…not just for me, but for the needs of my fellow Parishioners. I find it easier to concentrate on my prayers without seeing the other distractions around me. I am the same way when I am an altar server during Mass. I choose to almost become prostrate in front of the tabernacle after receiving the Precious Body and Blood.

Everyone has a particular prayer position that they find suits them best.
 
I’ve noticed it, and it looks like it’s mostly older people who do it in my experience. I’m surprised you noticed so many younger people using this position as well. I don’t use this position, but I just assume people who do are praying very hard and find it the best way for them to focus.
 
I think I do what you are referring to and for me it helps minimize distraction. I also do this while praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Once a Deacon asked me if I was okay; he thought I had a headache.

I am rather visual and the people coming back from Communion are a huge distraction. Also, at my parish we have bee instructed to stand through Commuinion until the last person has received. I kneel. The posture is helpful to me during the short time after Communion with my Lord and my God.
 
Before receiving the Eucharist, I say few prayers for preparing to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus. After receiving the Eucharist, I give thanks, pray for myself, family, and all others. I close my eyes and bow my head for less distraction.
 
I bow my head and close my eyes and thank the Lord for being able to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist and to thank Him for the blessings he has given me. What a better time than after receiving the Eucharist for telling out Lord how much we truly love Him?

:heart:Blyss
 
I’m with Bruised Reed on this. I too am visually oriented and am easily distracted at a time that I would like a more focused and intimate moment in thanksgiving. That said, I try to keep it short since I need to be singing the Communion Song along with the rest of the gathered community. (Yes, I am a musician.)
 
During the recitation of the Nicene Creed: at the words “…AND WAS MADE MAN.” one either kneels or bows to adore God for the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation; i.e., our humble acknowledgement.

Further, just before your turn to receive the Holy Eucharist a bow is made being midful of Whose table we come to and for what we are about to receive…we say it as a congregation and this is the deed.

(This can be similarly found in the Angelus, though I don’t know it to be a requirement, at the words, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”)

The third is as stated, in humble thanksgiving for partaking of the Holy Eucharist. Being mindful of what the Holy Eucharist is, it’s a proper response though officially there is no formal position the laity need assume after recieving Communion.
 
I do that.

But not just at Communion time.

When I feel the need for “serious” or “intense” prayer. Or, if I want to shut out all distractions… I close my eyes, sometimes put my hands over my face, sometimes put my head down toward the floor.

Try it. See if that posture produces a distraction-free prayer time.
 
Goblin_Taters said:
I notice that a lot of people (and for some reason especially those around my age: late teens, early twenties) quite visibly put their heads down either before or after receiving the Eucharist. …
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I am not sure if you mean the bow made just before receiving Communion.

From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) with adaptations for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“160. … When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister. … When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.”
 
Beno said:
I’m with Bruised Reed on this. I too am visually oriented and am easily distracted at a time that I would like a more focused and intimate moment in thanksgiving. That said, I try to keep it short since I need to be singing the Communion Song along with the rest of the gathered community. (Yes, I am a musician.)
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No offense…but I would wonder why you would want to “cut short” the time you spend after receiving the Lord to sing the Communion Song? At that time…the Communion Song is the least of my priorities…just my thoughts though…🙂

:heart:Blyss
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
No offense…but I would wonder why you would want to “cut short” the time you spend after receiving the Lord to sing the Communion Song? At that time…the Communion Song is the least of my priorities…just my thoughts though…🙂

:heart:Blyss
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If one can sing and put his mind and soul into a Communion song, it is as powerful as a prayer for the Communion song is a prayer itself.
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
No offense…but I would wonder why you would want to “cut short” the time you spend after receiving the Lord to sing the Communion Song? At that time…the Communion Song is the least of my priorities…just my thoughts though…🙂

:heart:Blyss
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I was a Director of Music in my last job, so I made it a priority to know the Liturgy Documents and the GIRM as they pertained to music and liturgical worship. The Documents spell out the importance of active participation in the singing of the Communion song when that has been selected as the form of music during that time. The singing of the communion song is regarded as furthering the public expression of unity in the ultimate act of unity - the Eucharist. Taking time out for private prayer during Mass, which is a public work of worship, seems counter to the reason why the church says we worship as a community. There are afterall many prayers recited by the priest on our behalf during the Communion Rite, and I hope that most priests are giving people enough time after the communion song to make personal reflections, meditate, or offer prayers of thanksgiving.

As a matter of personal experiences, I find that few people sing the communion song due to the people-watching, the impracticality of carrying hymnals in the communion procession, the desires for many to make private thanksgivings, as well as the assembly’s desire to LISTEN to music after having sung so much already. Left up to me, (be glad it’s not) I would probably chuck the whole idea of asking the assembly to sing the communion song. It just ain’t working out in real life as desired by the writers of the Liturgy Documents. Though I am a musician and obviously love music, I’m just as prone as the next person to want to watch people, spend time in private prayer, etc. And yes, singing can be prayerful for me, but more typically music is a distraction since my mind automatically analyzes musical structures, patterns, instrumentation, vocal quality, lyric content, etc.
 
I do it both to prepare for reception and in thanksgiving after reception. If I bow my head and close my eyes I am less likely to be approached by well-wishers who use the communion procession to work the room, although there are parishioners who think nothing of pounding me on the shoulder until I look up and acknowledge their presence. they are also the same ones who run up and down the aisles during the exchange of peace. I usually don’t sing the communion song because like many old people I have dry mouth and simply can’t sing too soon after swallowing. In any case, silence after communion is the norm, not singing.
 
BlyssfulDreamer said:
No offense…but I would wonder why you would want to “cut short” the time you spend after receiving the Lord to sing the Communion Song? At that time…the Communion Song is the least of my priorities…just my thoughts though…🙂

:heart:Blyss
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For some of us as with St. Augustine, when we sing we feel we have prayed twice. Perhaps that is why the Communion Song is so important to us.
 
PyroAlchemist said:
For some of us as with St. Augustine, when we sing we feel we have prayed twice. Perhaps that is why the Communion Song is so important to us.
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it depends on the song. if it is liturgically appropriate for that part of the Mass, in a key most people can sing, and the words and music don’t sound too much like a beer commercial, maybe. If it’s Peace is flowing like a river or similar drek, no, I’ll wait for GS camp.
 
Bruised_Reed said:
I am rather visual and the people coming back from Communion are a huge distraction.
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I find it hardest that the choir/congregation is singing through the entire Eucharist. It makes it really hard to concentrate on prayer.
 
I bow throughout communion. I was not raised Catholic and bowing in prayer is second nature. Also, it is a subconscious action due to the sense of humility at communion.
 
Bruised_Reed said:
I think I do what you are referring to and for me it helps minimize distraction. I also do this while praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Once a Deacon asked me if I was okay; he thought I had a headache.

I am rather visual and the people coming back from Communion are a huge distraction.
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I’m just the same and do this for the same reason.
 
I bow my head and close my eyes for the same reason most have. Distraction. I can’t remember which Saint said it ,I think it might have been Saint Francis, about how “Even the straw at my feet attempts to bring me away from God”, and how easy it is to get distracted by simple little things when we are in prayer. I find the best way to avoid this is to close my eyes.
 
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