Episcopal Aerobics 101

When I was growing up it was common to say, “Stand to sing, sit to listen, kneel to pray. That is still mostly true – except when it isn’t, because things do shift a bit with different liturgical seasons.

In Lent we do a lot more kneeling, which when we think about it, given the tone of this most holy and penitential season, makes sense. We stand for the entrance and opening acclamation, but then kneel for the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and Confession. Following the Absolution, with only the priest standing, we stand for the Kyrie and Collect of the Day. 

Then we get to sit for a bit as we listen to the lessons and recite the psalm before standing for the Sequence Hymn (10 am) and the Gospel. We sit for the sermon, stand for the Prayers of the People (standing is the posture for prayer from Jesus’ time) and the Peace.

At 8 am we sit while the table is being prepared but stand when the offering is being brought down the aisle. It’s easier at 10 am when we stand for the offertory hymn and then remain standing for the Eucharistic Prayer.

Now it depends on your own personal piety, but many people return to their seats after receiving communion and kneel in silent prayer. Others sit quietly. Either posture creates space to give thanks and praise for all that Jesus has done for us.

If you listen carefully to the post communion prayer you quickly realize this is a prayer of action “send us now into the world…” and so it is appropriate to stand as we pray. Standing also makes the command at the beginning of the Prayer over the People, “Bow down before the Lord” more dramatic as we all then kneel. Finally, we sit for announcements and stand for the dismissal.

And for those who cannot kneel, either because of bad knees or because they took all the kneelers out of the choir, there is always the “Episcopal squat” when you sit on the edge of your seat and lean forward.

All this to say no need for the gym on Sunday!

Mother Susan