During Mass at the Our Father, the celebrant priest or bishop or pope extends his hands in the orans position, palms open. This gesture goes back to the early centuries of Christianity. Figures standing with hands raised toward heaven are common in the Roman catacombs. We probably adopted this prayer gesture from the very first Christians who were Jews. Today’s first Scripture shows Moses praying to God for victory in a battle with arms outraised. But as the battle went on and on, he needed two of his assistants to support his weary hands! The great medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas commented that lifting up our hands to the Lord signifies prayer directed upward, to God, and is a sign of humility and obedience.
Only the priest, and not laypeople, are required by the GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, 2002) to use this gesture during the Our Father. However, many bishops have encouraged parishioners to use it as a way of paying attention to and uniting with the celebrant. They have discouraged holding hands with others, a gesture which does not have the weight of liturgical tradition. The orans prayer gesture uses our body to express openness to God, as we creatures express our dependence on God for our daily bread and for forgiveness through the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. Make this moment special during Mass!
— Blog entry by Sister Mary Garascia
The post October 19, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Praying hands: a Sunday Scriptures blog first appeared on Sisters of the Precious Blood.