Hands For Prayer: Devotion at Mass

Whether at Daily Mass or at Sunday Mass, I have noticed something about the other people in the pews around me. To me, it doesn't really look like everyone actually praying or that they're attentive at Mass. Yet, it's the Mass, the time Catholics celebrate the Liturgy of the Word and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. So, it should be a really big deal, a whole time devoted to prayer and glorifying God. Yet, there are people that are just kind of present physically and that's it. Here, I propose one potential solution that I think Catholics in the Norvus Ordo and the Traditional Latin Masses can partake in and appreciate to combat this issue. That solution is: to fold our hands in prayer during the entirety of the Mass.

Exhibit A!

I'll get further into detail on what that means in a moment, but perhaps it's important to provide some background. As I have stated before, but enjoy sharing nonetheless, my conversion from a lazy non-committed Catholic into a discerning Catholic disciple came during college. All of the thanks goes to God, but the people he used to inspire and influence me came from FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students).

One of the first FOCUS missionaries I met was Lee Brokaw, who is now a deacon on his way to the priesthood in the Diocese of Peoria. Anyway, during Masses, I began to notice that Lee folded his hands across his chest prayerfully. Usually if I spot other guys at Mass, I usually see them with their hands on the pew in front of them or with  their hands in their pockets unless they have their arms folded across their chest.

The arm fold only really works when you're in a robe or habit.

I'm sure I've seen a few other guys fold their hands during Mass before this, but this is one of the first times I clearly remember someone doing this and it having an impact on me. Maybe it was because Lee was a role model of discipleship and strong influence that I remember it well. Anywho, from that point on I began to make an effort to clasp or fold my hands together during Mass.

At first, I just locked my fingers together with my arms hanging down so that I was essentially making a double fist below my gut. Over time (all of this is the span of a couple of years, mind you) I began to work my way up where I lifted my arms higher to my stomach then under my chest then right at chest level and eventually, instead of locking fingers, I began to point my fingers like I've seen priests, deacons, and even some altar servers doing.

Now, why do I think that folding our hands is something helpful to others? Well, of course, I can only base my ideas on my personal experiences and observations. In my life, I have found myself becoming more intentional during the Mass by folding my hands in prayer. What I mean is the words I speak, the actions I do, and my thought process during Mass is much more focused and more purposeful because of this simple act. My time at Mass is not just routine and going through the motions anymore. Folding my hands keeps me in the proper setting. Growing up, I used to let my mind wander all over the place and kept looking around the whole church, even as I became a young adult and started growing in my faith in my early college days. When I began to fold my hands, I noticed I made a more conscious effort to remain mentally present (I still struggle with it sometimes just cause I can get lost in my thoughts) and if I find myself distracted, I will close my heads and bow my head a little and the feeling of my hands folded up close to my face keeps me more aware of being in prayer and being more focused during Mass.

The trick is to make sure people don't think you're actually sleeping instead of praying.

Even something as simple as my talking inside of church has been impacted by folding my hands. When I first enter the church, I clasp my hands together as soon as possible and, unless I need to use them for the Sign of the Cross or the Sign of Peace or something similar, I try to keep them like that until I fully exit the church building. This way, I keep myself mentally aware of where I am which generally helps me avoid speaking inside the church, even at the sending forth when it seems like everyone else is talking and no one else is really praying. All to keep the appropriate atmosphere and attitude of what being in the church is meant for. Silence can be sacred, after all!

I decided to write this post because sometimes I get thoughts in my head based on my observations and instead of bottling it all up, I need to write it down. And my observations are telling me some people are walking and standing in church without much care about what they're doing or why they're doing it. Sometimes whenever I see people moving through church nonchalantly, I remind myself that the church is a special place, a holy environment. Inside this building is a glimpse of Heaven on Earth, specially designed for a large community to come together and celebrate God. At the center is the altar and the tabernacle, all for the Sacrament of the Eucharist as we celebrate in memorial the Passion of Jesus Christ. This is different than walking through any store, strolling on the street, or even just moving about the house. There may be some Christians that tell you that the church building isn't all that important, but yes it is, for all these reasons above and more! And if it is more important than all those regular places outside of the church, then we need to maintain that appropriate important atmosphere in whatever way we can.

I get the feeling that writing something like this means that people are going to assume that I'm saying "All you other Catholics are lazy slackers! I'm better than you!". If I was really saying that, then I'd say it outright without quotation marks, but I'm not cause I'm not. I understand that some people may have good reasons for why they may need to lean against the pew in front of them or else have another good reason for why they are not folding their hands in prayer, such as parents who are trying to maintain order with their children.

Can't get mad at a couple at Mass with more than 2 little kids, that's a huge challenge and blessing really.

I also understand that the Mass is meant to be celebrated in community and some people may see folding hands as a solo act of independence. I think that's why it has become fashionable to hold everyone's hand during the Our Father, it may make people feel like they're coming together as a loving community in this one moment of the Mass (this is just my assumption though). However, it's probably just as important, if not more important, to come together as a community in Mass by singing together, responding at the same tempo, doing both of those things at the same volume, and to intentionally give the Sign of Peace with charity and joy. And we can do all of this in unison while folding our hands in prayer.

Yes, there are many obstacles that the Catholic Church faces today and there are many problems that people are trying to solve within the Church, especially with things revolving around the Mass. You may see articles or hear conversation about ad orientem, receiving Communion on the tongue, or what kind of music to play at Mass. However, this is just one simple idea that every Catholic can utilize without getting in a fuss over it. Catholics on either side (Norvus Ordo and Traditional Latin) can all agree that Mass is important, that the Eucharist is a Sacrament of great importance, and that if you are there to celebrate Mass, it is important to participate with reverence and purpose.

Where I Got My Photos (In Order):
1. clipartix.com
2. rpgorkut.forumeiros.com
3. www.projectinspired.com
4. churchpop.com/ The Jim Gaffigan Show