Mgr Marini is the Papal MC and at a recent conference spoke out regarding several points relating to how we, as Catholics, should be showing our focus during Holy Mass and Communion.
In the first instance he reminded us of the ancient tradition of focusing on Christ either through eastward orientation during the Eucharistic Prayer or towards a crucifix or other image of Christ which stood in for the eastward orientation.
We are in danger of losing this focus as, in the past, everyone (including the priest) prayed towards the same point - showing that the Lord was coming and that together we all looked towards Him.
He also posited that kneeling before the presence of the Lord makes it all the clearer that it really is Jesus and implies our adoration of Him. Not just that we receive Him but that we kneel in worship before Him.
Mgr Marini also asked us to listen anew to what the Holy Father says both in his writings and through his example in the Papal liturgies. The Pope distributes Communion to communicants who are always kneeling and who receive always on the tongue because - Indults and Permissions aside - this remains a law of universal character. We should look on these examples not as the Pope's personal preference but rather that this is how he intends priests and people to follow his lead.
In the first instance he reminded us of the ancient tradition of focusing on Christ either through eastward orientation during the Eucharistic Prayer or towards a crucifix or other image of Christ which stood in for the eastward orientation.
We are in danger of losing this focus as, in the past, everyone (including the priest) prayed towards the same point - showing that the Lord was coming and that together we all looked towards Him.
He also posited that kneeling before the presence of the Lord makes it all the clearer that it really is Jesus and implies our adoration of Him. Not just that we receive Him but that we kneel in worship before Him.
Mgr Marini also asked us to listen anew to what the Holy Father says both in his writings and through his example in the Papal liturgies. The Pope distributes Communion to communicants who are always kneeling and who receive always on the tongue because - Indults and Permissions aside - this remains a law of universal character. We should look on these examples not as the Pope's personal preference but rather that this is how he intends priests and people to follow his lead.
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