Proper Posture

Proper Posture

"...her sins, which were many, have been forgiven,

 hence she has shown great love..."

Gospel for the 11th Sunday of Ordinary Time:

Luke 7.36-8.3

David Wells, a Catholic religious educator, and well-known conference speaker, tells the story of how, as a young man, he was at the local cinema,and had to get up from his seat. After many "excuse me's" and "pardon me's" he finally gets to the end of the row...

And genuflects.

So much of our Catholic way of life, and especially the way we pray, is caught up in our "limbic system"- that part of the brain which is on automatic pilot. So it shouldn't surprise us when many struggle with the recent changes in the Mass. Some of the responses, such as "It is right and just", or "And with your spirit", are not quite automatic, and the using the pew cards for the Creed is common practice.

For me, this is not a bad thing. Because in our Eucharistic celebrations, we as Catholics can take the Mass, and essentially, Jesus, for granted. Are we, as the Church declares, "full, active and conscious" participants? IS what we SAYand DO at Mass really expressing what we believe?

One aspect of the new General Instruction in the Roman Missal (GIRM) that has not been taught, at least in my experience, are some of our physical actions.

During the Creed when we profess, "and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary",we are to bow. We are also to bow at the Eucharist prayer when we ask that we may join Mary and the saints in our "heavenly inheritance".

The GIRM also makes it quite clear that kneeling during the Eucharistic prayer is the norm, but if health   issues prevent it, sitting is appropriate. Every diocese is different- in most of the U.S. dioceses, participants kneel from the "Holy Holy" to the "Great Amen", while in the Edmonton archdiocese, we rise at the Memorial acclamation.

I was glad of this recommendation by the GIRM. I've always viewd the liturgy as an intricate dance of love between God and his people, and it behooves us to make sure we know our steps. Both kneeling and standing are of equal theological "value" as postures- after all, our Orthodox brothers and sisters have no pews, and stand for the entire liturgy.

As Roman Catholics, it is so important to understand what we are doing and saying, so we can be "full conscious and active" in our response to God's love.

Which brings us to today's Gospel. Here we have a Pharisee who does provide some hospitailty to Jesus. (Don't let that slip by you- not all Pharisees were out to get Jesus, and to invite someone into your home for a meal was very honorable and respectful.) 

While he certainly was being respectful, the Pharisee was not being authentic. He was so busy being scandalized by a sinner toucing the feet of a Rabbi, that he failed to offer genuine hospitality- feet washing, the kiss of peace, anointing with oil. The sinful woman did so to the maximum- she was certainly "fully, consciously and actively", demonstrating her love. The Pharisee was going through the motions.

Why such a contrast between the woman and the Pharisee? the biggest difference is summed up in one word: repentance. The sinful woman recognized her sinfulness. Jesus knew this and forgve her, and the result was this incredible outpouring of love. The Pharisees saw themselves as keepers of the law, but never breakers of it.

Is part of our problem at Mass is that we take the love and forgiveness of Jesus for granted? We are called today to express our love for Christ by turning to him in humilty and gratitude, to recognize our sins and ask for his mercy. Through the sacrament of reconciliation, and our full active and conscious particpation in the Eucharist, we will show great love.

For this week...

Take the time to slowly and reverently read the prayers of the liturgy.  If you don't subscribe to "Living with Christ", there are many websites that you  can access. Here's one:http://catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/Mass.htm

Think about the actions that your are invited to do at the Eucharist, Awaken for yourself the meaning of what you are doing..."