The Orans

How to start this subject? I remember years ago, when I was in high school, a new priest came to our parish and suddenly people were holding their hands out to the sides, palms up, during the Lord's Prayer. This morphed into hand-holding (not pleasant when the person sitting next to you has been coughing into his her her left hand and then you have to grasp it so as not to break the enforced chain), and this further morphed into stretching across the aisle to the other side to hold THEIR hands also. We were one big happy parish.

Yuck.

When we had a choice, of COURSE we opted for the orans position. I didn't know any better, it was uncomfortable for me, yet because adults around me were doing it, both my best friend and I adopted the awkward pose.

Last spring and summer I was attending daily Mass at my parish, and twice each week, the school joined us. We adult communicants were relegated to the rear of the large sanctuary, which put us in a great position to see the students of all ages holding their hands aloft, clearly uncomfortably. Why do I say this? I'll admit partially from experience, but also, it's in their postures; rounded shoulders, ducked heads, curled fingers, hands and arms held in tight to their bodies.

It makes me want to reach out to the nearest kid and say, "Psst! You don't have to do that! Just fold your hands, up or down, close your eyes, and offer the prayer, " thus releasing the poor kid from this pop-culture hangover from feminist and liberation "theology".

Tonight I attended a beautiful Divine Liturgy at my parish in honor of the Solomnity of St. Joseph. I noticed that during the Eucharistic prayers, Father was holding his hands out in a correct orans position; palms toward the congregation, arms outstretched. As he stood there, at the altar, the already-consecrated hosts and precious blood before him, I was struck, hard, by the image he mimiced. Our parish has a HUGE crucifix, centered behind the altar, and of course, behind the priest.

Father was standing directly in front of and below the large crucifix, and it was impossible for me not to see the image he formed in his representation.

Now, keep in mind, when the priest consecrates the bread and wine, he is standing in persona Christi, that is, in the PERSON of Christ. When he pronounces the words, "This is my body..." and "This is my blood..." he is no longer Father whoever, but he is standing in for Christ in the very person of Christ. This is very, very deep theology, but if we pay attention, the little things help us understand, and one of those little things is the orans position.

So we've come back to that. The orans. There was Father, standing exactly centered at the altar, in the person of Christ, and there, behind him, is Christ crucified. It was like a 3-D image, Father mimicing his own personal sacrifice, standing freely crucified, offering his life for us all.

So many people criticize our dearly held beliefs and traditions, even those that aren't doctrinal, and yet tonight, my eyes were opened to see something I'd never seen before; that is, the eternal Truth of the Church, the sacrifice of the priest on the very altar as he brings us the same sacrifice of Calvary.

And you know what happens next, after the priest completes the Eucharistic prayers...he SERVES us, the laity, the flesh and blood of the lamb of God.

Again, let's go over this. This is SO important!

1. The priest stands in persona Christi to consecrate the bread and wine into the body, blood, soul, and divinity of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

2. As part of being in persona Christi, he holds his hands outstretched, palms towards us, mimicing Crucified Jesus, for whom he stands before us

3. As a servant to all, he SERVES us the flesh and blood of the Lamb of God.

Are you seeing what I am seeing? Are you understanding what I understood tonight? That for the laity to hold the Orans position is WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!

NONE of us can stand in persona Christi, NONE Of us has the right to hold our hands aloft like Jesus crucified during the Mass. Only the PRIEST can do this!

The laity's use of the orans is a little fuzzy, but in my observation had it's origins with the feminist/liberation "theology" movements and attempted internal takeover of the Church. It was accompanied with women "deciding" they are called to the "power" of the priesthood, women taking charge of catechesis, watered down Gospels to such a degree they are not recognizable as remotely Christian, and prayer positions which mimic the percieved power of the ordained priesthood.

Another possible origin was from Protestantism. No offense to our seperated bretheren as I agree we can learn much from them, but the liturgy needs no "innovation". Every part of the Divine Liturgy (Mass) has meaning. Every posture, every movement, every note...it all has meaning.

Take, for example, the times we are to STAND (in the Latin Rite specifically): the Procession, through the Gloria, the Alleluia and the Gospel, for the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist through the Sanctus (Holy, Holy), the Our Father through the Agnus Dei. We KNEEL during the Consecration, after the Agnus Dei as we are in the presence of Christ, and after reception of Communion. We BOW during a portion of the Creed, during the Consecration, and as an option deigning reverence before recieving our Lord. We do all this and more as the laity, and every movement is important.

Likewise, every movement on the altar and around the altar is important and has meaning. The presiding priest uses incense, bows, holds the Word of God aloft before reading the Gospel for the day, blesses us, sends us forth...all with gestures. EVERYTHING in the Mass has meaning.

When our priests stand before us, praying in the orans position, it is a moment in which we all need to understand that we are not all called to ordained priesthood. We are not all called to stand as though crucified because while we share in the sacrifice as members of the body of Christ, we cannot stand in persona Christi. We have our own place and we need to be humble and accept our places in God's house. We are the laity and we are there to worship, to be ministered to so that we can better carry the Gospel message and therefore minister to others. We have our place and our posture and that of the priest helps to define those places and FREES us from the discomfort found when we are holding positions which are not appropriate for our given station.

Consider also that when the priest, specifically during the Lord's Prayer, stands in the Orans position, his position is not just as Christ crucified, but as a shepherd and his flock. Arms oustretched as though to gather us in to him and offering us all and all of our collective prayers, petetions, and thanksgiving to the Lord. We are not to do this; he is to make this offering on our behalf. Why? Because he is the servant of all. He is the only one annointed to carry out this particular service.

There are many who argue for the orans position, and don't understand why it is an issue. I would like to make it clear that there is no problem with it in personal prayer. The Church has not spoken formally on the laity's use of the orans, but it is definitely not encouraged, although seen as preferable to hand-holding during the Lord's prayer.

When we, as the laity, begin to use positions reserved appropriately for the clergy, then we are blurring the lines and we are taking something away from the worship which is supposed to happen. I do not mean to attack those who hold this position, and perhaps some of you are converts who find this position natural to you. However, as Catholics, this position is NOT natural and the use of it in the congregation is just one more thing that jumbles details which would otherwise be apparent.

If you are an orans-holder during the Mass, I encourage you next time to keep your hands folded, look up at the altar throughout the Eucharistic prayers (bowing where appropriate, of course), and consider the priest's physical position and presence espeically in relation to the altar and the crucifix, assuming your parish has one. Then truly ask yourself if it's really appropriate to hold your own hands aloft during the Our Father, rather than bow your head to the sacrifice of Christ on the crucifix and clasp your hands in humility. If you really want to go back to your roots, then pray with your arms crossed over your chest, left over right, head bowed. This was how the early Christians prayed.

Open your heart, pray for the eyes to see and the ears to hear, and WATCH this deep theology happening before your very eyes. Your life may be changed forever.

Christ before me....
Christ behind me....
Christ within me....
Christ beside me....
Christ in all the words I speak...
Christ in all the ears that hear....