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"To Me every knee shall bend" (Romans 14:11)

"All honor must be given to My Son in the Eucharist. Man must kneel. My Son's House is the House of God and a house of prayer, and it must not be turned into a meeting hall." - Our Lady, July 25, 1979

On the outside stone steps of the parish church, amongst the darkness and cold, knelt the little, old, bald-headed man doing his daily routine, keeping an early-morning vigil awaiting the church doors to open. And when the doors did open his vigil of prayer and of kneeling continued inside.¹ Matthew's custom, as witnesses testify, was to kneel throughout the whole Mass, only rising at Communion time to meet his Lord on his knees at the Communion rail.

In those days Matthew (especially after the first Mass on Sundays) was known to remain kneeling for six or seven hours straight, without moving, and without the support of even his elbows resting on anything.² Remarkable and saintly was this patron of adorers of our Lord, this true patron and model example of those who kneel before their God.

It wasn't always this way for Matthew, for in his teens and twenties you would more likely have seen him laying prostrate in a gutter passed out in adoration (or let's say idolaration) of a bottle of booze or two. For you see, Matthew had been an alcoholic, a man given to drink, who had squandered his earnings and talents and life in idolaration of that drink. Then one fateful day, when utterly penniless and ignored by friends, a miracle of grace occurred in his life: Matthew said "yes" to God, gave up the drink and kept saying "yes" to God until his death. Matthew is now declared Venerable and there is great hope he will be raised to the altars as one of Ireland's greatest saints. This man who formerly made a way of life sitting at barstools became a picture of sanctity, kneeling before the King of kings in the Most Holy Eucharist.

In the late 1800's in Ireland Matthew was one of those who still suffered from the effects, as we do even today, of the fallout of the Protestant Reformation. However, Matthew's true ideals of adoration toward the Eucharist can be seen in contrast with the false ideas and actions of the Protestant reformers of the 1550's. In 1552 England, voices rose up in defiance, as Bishop John Hooper's, denouncing what they called the superstitious practice of kneeling for Communion. In a homily before the king, the bishop spoke blasphemous words that were to penetrate the hearts and actions of countless souls even to our day:

"The outward behaviour and gesture of the receiver should want all kind of suspicion, shew, or inclination of idolatry. Wherefore seeing kneeling is a shew and external sign of honouring and worshipping, and heretofore hath grievous and damnable idolatry been committed by the honouring of the Sacrament, I would wish it were commanded by the magistrates that the communicators and receivers should do it standing or sitting..."³

Not to be outdone, "at Berwick, the Scotsman John Knox on his own authority had discontinued the practice of kneeling to receive Communion." Similarly, he preached a sermon before King Edward IV towards the end of September 1552, and "permitted himself an outburst of invective in the king's presence,"⁴ denouncing as idolatry the practice of receiving Communion kneeling. Afterwards, Knox wrote to Archbishop Cramner bidding him to take counsel with Ridley and Peter Martyr, two other leaders of this movement, to have the rubric for kneeling removed in the new 1552 Common Prayer Book.⁵ As the Archbishop had already made numerous changes already in the Mass, he was hesitant to make any more, fearful that the people would awaken to the change of faith and resist. The king, however, became so terrified from the threatening speeches and severe pressures coming his way on this issue, that he ordered a change in the 1552 Common Prayer Book. However, since the book was already in print, all the reformers could do for now was to add a paragraph explaining their view of things, of course, in preparation for eliminating kneeling altogether. The death blow that was to "liberate" people from kneeling and their devotion to Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist came. Their explanation of the Eucharist in the 1552 Common Prayer Book reads:

"For as concerning the sacramental bread and wine, they remain still in their very natural substances, and therefore may not be adored, for that were idolatry to be abhorred of all faithful Christians. And as concerning the natural body and blood of our Saviour Christ, they are in heaven and not here."⁶

These words of utter blasphemy declared in so many words, Goodbye to the clear doctrine of the Eucharist, Goodbye to altar rails, Goodbye to adoration, Goodbye to belief in the Real Presence, Goodbye to kneeling. Standing soon became the law for the Church of England and for Protestant churches throughout the world.

Tragically, this all too familiar scene can often be seen sorrowfully replayed by the false prophets of today. We can ask, as with Communion in the hand, has the lack of kneeling helped to contribute to a loss of faith in the Eucharist? Has this lack of kneeling helped to contribute to the fact that only 28% of Catholics go to Mass and only 30% believe in the Catholic teaching on the Real Presence?

"Bernard Cardinal Law, during debates on abolishing holy days of obligation, remarked that when the bishops... established the practice of standing for Communion, they did not realize how Catholic identity and piety would suffer."⁷ Amazingly, the Cardinal was only repeating something the Protestant reformers knew and said over 400 years ago. Can anyone deny we are truly in an age of unbelief!

When the option of standing for Communion was allowed (with the provision that the recipient make an alternative sign of reverence), it was often encouraged as the only way to receive Communion, even unlawfully, whereas the practice of receiving Holy Communion kneeling was frowned upon and disappeared quickly as the sun passing behind an array of clouds.

Behind this array of clouds, however, is the voice of the Church that bursts through to proclaim that kneeling to receive Holy Communion is the supreme act of adoration. Yes, the supreme act of external adoration! Clearly, as nothing contrary to the point was said at Vatican II, it can be stated with certainty that Vatican II retained this practice of kneeling for Holy Communion in the Latin Rite. Truly, this kneeling is an age-old practice inspired by the Holy Ghost, practiced and endorsed, century upon century, by Pope after Pope, saint after saint.

As of late—1980 to be exact—the document Inaestimabile Donum, approved by His Holiness Pope John Paul II from the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship in 1980, states:

"When the faithful communicate kneeling, no other sign of reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament is required, since kneeling itself is a sign of adoration."⁸

Truly, as our Catholic faith teaches, adoration belongs only to God, and it is exactly kneeling which represents and symbolizes exteriorly, in the best way, that interior adoration which we give to God. So precisely does kneeling do this that in this document of Pope John Paul's it is stated that when one kneels in adoration no other sign of reverence is needed. Truly, it is the superior act.

Now going further along, the document also states: "When they receive Communion standing, it is strongly recommended that, coming up in procession, they should make a sign of reverence before receiving the Blessed Sacrament."⁹ Please note the words carefully that "it is strongly recommended," basically saying, do it; that is, make an additional sign of reverence other than standing. This is telling the recipient that the act of standing is not complete in itself when receiving our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. So instead of one simple act of kneeling, two acts are asked of the recipient.

How many Catholics know about this required second act? Surely an even smaller number of Catholics know what act of reverence is suggested to complete this second action. Confusion abounds on this issue.

It is clear that standing is only a sign of respect and not necessarily adoration. So, in option #2, the Church wants an additional sign of reverence. As Father Regis Scanlon, O.F.M. Cap. masterfully pointed out, this recommended sign of reverence is... a genuflection. The liturgical book The Ceremonial of Bishops calls for a "genuflection" for the "Blessed Sacrament." This book provides the model for that second option of those who stand. Let us read what it says:

"After saying inaudibly the prayer before Communion, the bishop GENUFLECTS and takes the paten. One by one the concelebrants approach the bishop, GENUFLECT, and reverently receive from him the body of Christ."¹⁰

Now, if it is proper for priests to come and genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament when receiving Communion standing, it is obviously proper for the laity to first genuflect when receiving Communion. Therefore, the officially "recommended" act of reverence prior to receiving Communion standing is a "genuflection."

From its beginning the Church as a good Mother has always allowed options—some not necessarily as good as others—taking into account the weaknesses, situations and illnesses of individuals. One example of this would be a faithful Catholic lying in a hospital bed with terminal cancer. Obviously, such a person is too ill to kneel for Communion. For this suffering child of Holy Mother Church, the Church doesn't expect the impossible, but reaches out and makes an exception, allowing an additional option as necessity, because compassion and charity demand it. But to those who are fully able to meet the demands of the Church, to those who can do much and have been given much, why shouldn't they offer the ultimate form of reverence to almighty God in the Eucharist?

The Church in her teachings realizes the intimate connection between body and soul, that man is the unification of the things of heaven and earth and needs a bridge, external modes, expressions, sensible signs, so that cooperating with grace by action he can experience the things of heaven. Is this not what the seven Sacraments do, use sensible signs to bring us to invisible, supernatural realities? Yet the Sacraments are what they signify as well. The Church has spelled it out over and over again, Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi: the law of prayer is the law of belief. The Church tells us how we pray is how we believe.

A good illustration of this would be if a child were to see somebody kneeling devoutly at a Communion rail, receiving Communion from a priest on his tongue, with an altar boy holding a paten under his chin, the child would know something special is happening.  The child could see by his actions and his posture that this man has faith in something. This man is a believer.

Faith expresses itself by actions. For as St. James says, faith without works is dead.¹¹ Deny this and you deny Scripture and God's plan. When talking about kneeling during the liturgy, Cardinal Ratzinger in one of his theological works stated, "Here the bodily gesture attains the status of a confession of faith in Christ: words could not replace such a confession."¹² Powerfully and forcefully, the Council of Trent defined:

"If anyone says that in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist the only-begotten Son of God is not to be adored even outwardly with the worship of latria (the act of adoration), ...and that the adorers of it are idolaters; let him be anathema."¹³

In more recent years, Pope Pius XII's 1947 encyclical Mediator Dei on the Sacred Liturgy tells us that, "Outward acts of religion... serve to foster piety, to kindle the flame of charity, to increase our faith and deepen our devotion." "They make it possible to tell genuine Christians from their false or heretical counterparts." Furthermore, the holy Pope Pius XII states, "It is therefore, the keen desire of the Church that all of the faithful kneel at the feet of the Redeemer to tell Him how much they venerate and love Him."

Moreover, the inspired words of God in Holy Scripture tell us what we should do: "For every knee shall bend to me..." (Isaias 45:24)¹⁴ And, "as I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bend..." (Romans 14:11)¹⁵ Further, St. Paul says, "... so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth." (Phil.2:10)¹⁶ The verdict is clear: Kneeling is the ultimate sign of adoration recommended by God.

Unfortunately today, great courage is needed for those who wish to speak to and adore our Lord on their knees, for severe undue pressures are being put on them to abandon their, and their God's, way of worship.  Already, in many Latin Rite churches throughout the country, kneelers have completely disappeared. Sadly, some false prophets are indeed pushing for people to stand throughout the whole Mass, which is a true denial of the adoration that should be given to God. Unfortunately, this movement is not just one or two isolated incidents but is coming fast upon us. First came forth the idea that people should not receive Holy Communion while kneeling; then, in some places, not to kneel at other times, including the Consecration; and now, some places sadly have the faithful not kneel at all.

Where are such trends coming from? Well, one such place is the 1990 National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions (FDLC). The Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions' newsletter states against Vatican directives:

"It is the position of the delegates to the 1990 National Meeting of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions that the BCL Task Force on American Adaptations of the Roman Missal provide for the assembly to stand throughout the Eucharistic Prayer in the revised Sacramentary for use in the United States."

And it passed with 95% voting for it.¹⁷

This incredible challenge against Vatican norms shows just how many liturgists are on the march against Rome. Indeed, this kind of statement contradicts the General Instruction of the Roman Missal and the Ceremoniale.

This thinking is throughout the land and was even brought forth at a June 1995 meeting of the National Catholic Conference of Bishops. Fortunately, when Cardinal Bernardin brought forth an amendment to allow for standing during the Eucharist prayer as an option at the discretion of individual bishops, it was met with an avalanche of opposition (Catholic World Report, Aug. 27, 1995). Cardinal Law came forward and called posture "an integral part of the way we live our lives," and said to cease kneeling would cause great confusion. He said, "I think that at heart, here is a dismantling of the very notion of what a rite is. A rite is not a do-it-yourself kit."¹⁸

Kneeling, as an act of latria, an act of adoration, is our testimony, our legacy, our firmly held tradition expressing our belief that Jesus Christ is in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It testifies to our belief in the Incarnation, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Fatima

God Himself capsulized this truth beautifully one fine autumn day in 1916, when He sent an angel to the countryside surroundings of an olive grove in Portugal. The three Fatima children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, by the inspiration of God were kneeling and saying a prayer the Angel had taught them earlier, when an extraordinary light came. It was the Angel coming holding a chalice in his left hand, with the Host suspended above it, from which some drops of Blood fell from the Host into the chalice. The Angel remarkably left the chalice suspended in the air, and knelt beside the children and repeated prayers with them. He then gave them Holy Communion on their knees. Then the Angel prostrated himself on the ground and repeated the earlier prayers, and then disappeared. And then too, until the darkness of the night set in, the children remained adoring our Lord, kneeling.¹⁹

Through the message of an angel, God spoke that day at Fatima: "Every knee shall bend before me...."

References:

¹         Doherty, Eddie, Matt Talbot, (Milwaukee: Bruce Publishing Co., 1953), p. 35.
²         ibid., p. 53.
³         Hughes, Philip, Reformation in England, (London: Hollis Carter, 1953), p. 197.
⁴         ibid., p. 197.
⁵         ibid., p. 197.
⁶         ibid., p. 124.
⁷         "The Wanderer," November 28, 1991, p. 4.
⁸         Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, "Inaestimabile Donum," No. 11, Vatican Council II: Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, Vol. I, p. 96.
⁹         ibid., p. 96.
¹⁰         Scanlon, Father Regis, Homilectic and Pastoral Review, Aug.- Sept. 1994, pp. 10-11.
¹¹         Confraternity Version Holy Bible, (New York: Benzinger Brothers), p. 252.
¹²         Ratzinger, Joseph Cardinal, The Feast of Faith, (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1986), pp. 74-75.
¹³         Enchiridion Symbolorum, (Denzinger, 30th edition), Number 888, p. 271.
¹⁴         Confraternity Version Holy Bible, p. 743.
¹⁵         ibid., pp. 171-172.
¹⁶         ibid., p. 214.
¹⁷         Scanlon, Father Regis, Homilectic and Pastoral Review, Aug.- Sept. 1994, p. 14.
¹⁸         Catholic World Report, Aug./Sept. 1995, p. 27.
¹⁹         Kondor, Father Louis, Fatima in Lucia's Own Words, (Fatima: Postulation Centre, 1976), pp. 62-63. 

"I have asked you to get down on your knees. Clergy in My Son's House, His Church, restore the altar railings, that man may be on his knees. For many shall crawl on their knees in desperation seeking to flee, but nowhere shall they escape the flames. Restore My Son's Church while there is time. Return the railings! Have the people make atonement upon their knees to their God!" - Our Lady, May 30, 1981

Directives from Heaven

Articles

Bishop Laise speaks out against Communion in the hand
BishopLaise.htm 

Modernist and Protestant revolutionaries were behind Communion in the hand
CommunionInTheHand.htm 

Fr. John Hardon speaks out against Communion in the hand
Hardon.htm 

VIDEO: Bishop Athanasius Schneider on Communion in the Hand
BishopSchneiderOnCommunionInTheHand.htm

Communion in the hand should be rejected
VonHildebrand.htm 

Re-thinking Communion in the hand
cih.htm 

More reasons for rejecting Communion in the hand
cih2.htm 

Communion in the Hand: Documents and History (Bishop Juan Rodolfo Laise)
BishopLaiseBook.htm

The consecrated hands of a priest
ConsecratedHands.htm

 

Links

Pope Benedict discourages Communion in the hand
http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2008/05/pope-benedict-discourages-communion-in.html

Pope Benedict to Catholics: Kneel For Communion
http://newsblaze.com/story/20090801065749zzzz.nb/topstory.html

VIDEO: Pope continues to support Kneeling to receive Holy Communion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3zHpo3gtN0

VIDEO: New Vatican protocol for receiving Communion at Papal Masses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeiE-lznSYE

Vatican official: Church should reconsider Communion in the hand
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0800606.htm

Regarding Communion in the Hand, Fr. Greg Markey
http://hughofcluny.blogspot.com/2008/12/regarding-communion-in-hand.html

Receptivity Fitting For The Lord, Fr. Roger J. Landry
http://www.catholicity.com/commentary/landry/00663.html

 

 

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Revised: September 22, 2017