At one of the last holiday's ecumenical services, I was sitting in a pew where the kneelers weren't fixed. When I went to cross my legs, (sorry to my physical therapist daughter), I accidentally kicked the kneeler up a couple of pews.
I got up and brought the kneeler back. As I did, the lady behind me rolled her eyes and made some derogatory comment about the kneelers (not me). I didn't say anything but I've been thinking about it.
Bishop Coyne explains that posture is important and he's not talking about sitting straight, of walking balancing a book on your head. Posture is especially important when attending a sacred service. Your posture should be appropriate, why else be there?
When we stand, think of the saints standing around the throne of God. We are joining the saints in offering our worship to God. Think of all the times we stand at the words, "Let us pray."
In the United States we kneel twice:
*at the Eucharistic Prayers
*and reception of the Eucharist.
This is not a universal posture. For some reason, our American bishops have asked our dioceses to kneel. Mmmm, maybe that's why the lady behind me thought kneelers were ridiculous. I think kneeling is the most respectful posture. Don't we kneel to respect popes, royalty, and to beg?
I will always kneel to my God.
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