Sit or Stand?

Q: I am confused about when to sit and when to stand at Mass. Can you explain the recent changes?

A: At mass different postures are appropriate at different times. What best expresses our respect for God and others is that we stand or sit or kneel as a community. Today, as in ancient times, standing is understood as a sign of respect. This calls for some explanation because many older Catholics think of kneeling as the only real sign of reverence. Yet standing can also show great respect. We stand when someone important enters or leaves the room. Following the recommendations of the Office of Worship we began standing during communion as a sign that we were receiving the Eucharist as a body, not just as individuals. At meals we do not take our food, eat it, and then clear our place before others have begun to eat. Waiting with and for others is a sign that we are acting like the Body of Christ when receiving the Body of Christ. We kneel or sit after communion because this is the time for individual prayer and reflection.

What about postures at other times in the mass? Clearly we stand as the ministers enter the church and the sanctuary and we remain standing until the end of the opening prayer. Notice that we always stand when the priest is leading prayer. We sit for the Scripture readings except the gospel. Again, we stand for the gospel as a sign of respect. We stand when we recite the creed and the prayers of the faithful but sit for the preparation of the gifts. When the gifts are ready, the priest invites us to stand and we pray that the gifts will be acceptable. We remain standing until the Eucharistic Prayer. Kneeling is a sign of respect during this special time of the mass and it makes sense during the Eucharistic Prayer because it enables everyone to see as well as hear what is happening at the consecration. During the Eucharistic Prayer the priest takes the role of Jesus in a unique way. He stands in persona Christi – in the person of Christ. We look and listen as he speaks the words of Jesus, until we give our assent at the end with the Great Amen. We stand for the Our Father and until after the Lamb of God. We kneel during the brief time that the priest presents the host (”Behold the Lamb of God) and for our prayer of humility (Lord, I am not worthy). Then we rise to walk together to the Lord’s table. The communion song is our shared prayer and praise during communion. The time to sit or kneel is when the last person has received and the Eucharist is placed back in the tabernacle. A clear sign to all is when the minister closes the tabernacle door. (By the way, do not wait until the priest sits because he may be cleaning the vessels.) The quiet time that follows communion is our personal time for thanksgiving. A meditation song from the choir may help us to pray. And to close our Eucharistic celebration we stand for the final prayer and blessing, and remain standing in place until the procession is ended.