Reverence and the Eucharist
FROM THE GENERAL INSTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL (GIRM)
84. On reaching the altar the priest and ministers make the proper reverence, that is, a low bow or, if there is a tabernacle containing the blessed sacrament, a genuflection.
109. The priest continues the eucharistic prayer according to the rubrics that are given for each of them. …..A little before the consecration, the server may ring a bell as a signal to the faithful. Depending on local custom, he also rings the bell at the showing of both the host and the chalice.
110. After the doxology at the end of the eucharistic prayer…. 111. After the Lord's Prayer…. 112. Then the priest says aloud the prayer, <Lord Jesus Christ>. After this prayer, extending then joining his hands, he gives the greeting of peace: <The peace of the Lord be with you always>. The people answer: <And also with you>. Then the priest may add: <Let us offer each other a sign of peace>. All exchange some sign of peace and love….. 113. The priest then takes the eucharistic bread and breaks it over the paten.(not before) He places a small piece in the chalice, saying softly: <May this mingling>. Meanwhile the <Agnus Dei> is sung or recited by the choir and congregation (see no. 56 e).
233. Three genuflections are made during Mass: after the showing of the eucharistic bread, after the showing of the chalice, and before communion.
If there is a tabernacle with the blessed sacrament in the sanctuary, a genuflection is made before and after Mass and whenever anyone passes in front of the blessed sacrament.
234. There are two kinds of bow, a bow of the head and a bow of the body:
a. A bow of the head is made when the three divine Persons are named together and at the name of Jesus, Mary and the saint in whose honor Mass is celebrated.
b. A bow of the body, or profound bow, is made: toward the altar if there is no tabernacle with the blessed sacrament; during the prayers, <Almighty God, cleanse> and <Lord God, we ask you to receive>; within the profession of faith at the words, <by the power of the Holy Spirit>; in Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) at the words, <Almighty God, we pray>. The same kind of bow is made by the deacon when he asks the blessing before the gospel. In addition, the priest bends over slightly as he says the words of the Lord at the consecration.
234b. QUERY: Some of the acts of reverence by both the celebrant and the people have fallen into disuse, for example, the profound bow to be made in place of the former genuflection at the words announcing the mystery of the incarnation in the <Credo>. Are such gestures still to be observed? REPLY: Clearly people should express their faith, devotion, and reverence not only by words but also by gestures and posture. All the more care should be taken about this because the gestures now prescribed since the reform of the liturgy are fewer and simpler. Thus the Order of Mass and the GIRM assign a few instances when gestures are to accompany the words. It is enough to recall the GIRM no. 234 to recognize these various cases: "A bow of the head is made when the three divine persons are named together and at the name of Jesus, Mary, and the saint in whose honor Mass is celebrated. A bow of the body, or profound bow, is made: toward the altar if there is no tabernacle with the blessed sacrament; during the prayers, <Almighty God, cleanse and Lord God, we ask you to receive>; within the profession of faith at the words, >by the power of the Holy Spirit;> in Eucharistic Prayer I (Roman Canon) at the words, <Almighty God, we pray>." In the case of the words in the <Credo> the rubric of the Order of Mass also reads: "All bow." It is well to remember that at the Mass of the Christmas Vigil, the Mass at Midnight, the Mass at Dawn, and the Mass during the Day, there is genuflection at the words <And he became man> (see MR pp. 153, 155, 156, 157); the same holds for Mass on the solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord (see MR p. 538).
For the consecration of the bread and wine the GIRM no. 234b prescribes: "The priest bends over slightly as he says the words of the Lord at the consecration." Further the priest genuflects "after the showing of the host," and "after the showing of the chalice" (GIRM no. 233); "he genuflects in adoration" (Order of Mass, nos. 91-92, 104-105, 111- 112, 120-121). As for concelebrants, they stand at the showing of the host and chalice, look at them, then bow profoundly (GIRM nos. 174c, 180c, 184c, 188c).
Likewise before communion there are gestures of reverence and faith made by both the celebrant and the people who receive communion. For the celebrant the GIRM no. 115 and the Order of Mass no. 133 have ". . .then the priest genuflects, takes the host" etc.; and for concelebrants the GIRM directs: "One by one the concelebrants come to the middle of the altar, genuflect, and reverently take the body of Christ from the altar. Then holding the eucharistic bread in the right hand, with the left hand under it, they return to their places. The concelebrants may, however, remain in their places and take the body of Christ from the paten presented to them by the principal celebrant or by one or more of the concelebrants, or from the paten as it is passed from one to the other" (GIRM no. 197). As for the people, when they receive the eucharist standing, they are able to make some sign of reverence (GIRM nos. 244c, 245b, 246b, 247b): Not 14 (1978) 535-536, no. 11.
ON THE MYSTERY AND WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARIST
DOMINICAE CENAE
Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II promulgated on February 24, 1980.
To All the Bishops of the Church.
…..Adoration of Christ in this sacrament of love must also find expression in various forms of eucharistic devotion: personal prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, Hours of Adoration, periods of exposition--short, prolonged and annual (Forty Hours)--eucharistic benediction, eucharistic processions, eucharistic congresses.[13] A particular mention should be made at this point of the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ as an act of public worship rendered to Christ present in the Eucharist, a feast instituted by my predecessor Urban IV in memory of the institution of this great Mystery.[14] All this therefore corresponds to the general principles and particular norms already long in existence but newly formulated during or after the Second Vatican Council.[15]
INSTRUCTION CONCERNING WORSHIP OF THE EUCHARISTIC MYSTERY, "INAESTIMABILE DONUM"
Prepared by the Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship
Approved and Confirmed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II April 17, 1980
11. The Church has always required from the faithful respect and reverence for the Eucharist at the moment of receiving it. With regard to the manner of going to Communion, the faithful can receive it either kneeling or standing, in accordance with the norms laid down by the episcopal conference: "When the faithful communicate kneeling, no other sign of reverence towards the Blessed Sacrament is required, since kneeling is itself a sign of adoration. When they receive Communion standing, it is strongly recommended that, coming up in a procession, they should make a sign of reverence before receiving the sacrament. This should be done at the right time and place, so that the order of people going to and from Communion is not disrupted."(21)
26. The venerable practice of genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament, whether enclosed in the tabernacle or publicly exposed, as a sign of adoration, is to be maintained.(37) This act requires that it be performed in a recollected way. In order that the heart may bow before God in profound reverence, the genuflection must be neither hurried nor careless.