One of the most repeated reasons liturgical "experts" give against kneeling during Holy Communion, our most intimate encounter with Jesus Christ, is that kneeling is penitential. They are right. Kneeling is very penitential.I will not go down that road today. Some Catholics believe that the Church has been wrong to emphasize penance for all those "dark years" of her existence. Something like 1,935 of them.For now let's let that chimpanzee of an argument run free around the living room. Let's look at this picture! What is the man before Jesus conveying? Penance?
Wrong.
This is the story of the Samaritan Leper, (Luke 17). Why did the man fall down before Our Lord? Because he was sorry?
No!
Is he begging?
No!
Most children can tell you that he was the only leper who was thankful!Among other things, kneeling profoundly and universally expresses gratitude! In taking aim to banish penitence from Communion, these modern Moses' who have led us out into a true wilderness, have also very effectively banished thankfulness.
Friends, maybe you are against penitence at Holy Communion. But please cannot you not help us to bring thankfulness back?
Pray for our bishops and our pope!
Comment by Clare
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. It reminded me of an incident in our family last summer. The night before going on a hiking trip with friends, my son could not find the pegs and poles for his tent. Eventually, after several hours searching by everyone, my husband traced the missing bag - and my son fell on his knees at his father's feet, in relief and gratitude.