It is easy to overlook many of the priest’s gestures during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Many times, they seem so common that we do not think twice about them. Nonetheless, it is fruitful to take a closer look at them given we do many ourselves in imitation of the priest. Moreover, by understanding the significance behind the gestures, we may develop deeper insights into their purpose and, ultimately, gain a new understanding of the priest’s role during the Mass.
Sign of the Cross
“By signing ourselves with the Cross, we place ourselves under the protection of the Cross, hold it in front of us like a shield that will guard us in all the distress of daily life and give us the courage to go on” (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Theology of the Liturgy).
The sign of the cross is the most basic Christian prayer. In making the sign of cross, the priest uses his own body to confess Christ’s crucifixion and call upon the Triune God. This invocation of the Trinity and acknowledgement of the cross serves as a profound affirmation of faith and hope for the priest as he offers the sacrifice.
Notably, the priest blesses the offerings during the Eucharistic prayer several times with the sign of the cross. St. Thomas Aquinas explains these blessings saying, “The consecration of this sacrament, and the acceptance of this sacrifice, and its fruits, proceed from the virtue of the cross of Christ, and therefore wherever mention is made of these, the priest makes use of the sign of the cross.” The priest also blesses the congregation with the sign of the cross, bestowing upon them the power of the blessing of Jesus Christ.
Hands clasped
“We are placing our hands in his, and with our hands we place in his hands our personal destiny”(Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Theology of the Liturgy).
Another gesture commonly used by priests during the Mass is praying with hands joined. Where appropriate and prescribed by the rubrics, the celebrant must have his hands joined before his breast, fingers extended and together, with his right thumb over his left thumb in the form of the cross. This gesture comes from feudalistic times, where, upon taking tenure, a vassal placed his joined hands in those of his lord, expressing his trust and fidelity to him. Likewise, the priest at his ordination receives the gift of priesthood, not through his own skills, but by the gift of the Lord. In return, the priest is committing his whole existence to the task entrusted to him by God.
Orans posture
“One of the primal gestures of man in calling upon God…an expression of nonviolence, a gesture of peace” (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Theology of the Liturgy).
The orans posture, in which the priest has his arms extended, is, according to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the oldest gesture of prayer in Christendom. In the orans posture, the priest is physically opening and surrendering himself to God. Moreover, the priest’s outstretched hands remind us of Christ outstretched on the cross, opening his arms and drawing us to Himself. Indeed, the cross adds depth to this simple gesture of prayer. As the priest offers the sacrifice to God, his symbolic gesture of uniting himself to the cross is a resolution to pray with the Crucified and unite himself with Christ.
Despite their varying backgrounds, these gestures all have profound meaning and are fulfilled in the context of Christianity. It is clear, then, that these bodily gestures, separated from worship of God, would be meaningless. Similarly, worship of God would be incomplete if it were limited to the spiritual realm and prevented from entering the physical realm. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI expands on this point saying, “What is purely spiritual is inappropriate to the nature of man.” We see, therefore, the essentiality for worship of utilizing both body and soul. Further, the priest’s physical embodiment of worship unites him with Christ, as he becomes “one body and one spirit” with Him. After all, the priest acts in persona Christi capitis––in the person of Christ the head. During the Eucharistic liturgy, it is God Himself acting, leading, and drawing us to Him, both in body and soul.
Photo courtesy of Lawrence OP via Flickr
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