Catholic Answer Series: What to do with your hands?

As I was standing in church this morning for the saying of the Our Father, I felt the same uneasiness I have been feeling for years now. It is the uneasiness of being one of the few people who still folds their hands during this prayer while the rest of the congregation has their hands raised in praise or is holding hands with the person next to them. I have always folded my hands during this prayer, except for the few occasions while working with the youth when I would hold hands in a prayer circle as a sign of unity with them. Today I felt especially out of place due to the fact that I was crowded in with people on either side of me, both of them holding their arms up in praise during one of the most solemn and important prayers of the Mass. It sparked my interest to find more information about what the “right” or “wrong” thing to do during that prayer, seeing as I was taking a firm stand against the “praise and worship” hands that everyone else seems to be sporting these days. I am not against standing in this way for the Lord’s Prayer, necessarily, but come on, we’re not Protestants.

Apparently this is a common liturgical question since I am not the only one with an opinion on the subject. Actually, there is no norm as to what posture the laity should adopt during the Lord’s Prayer at Mass. The “General Instruction of the Roman Missal” (the official instruction manual for the Mass, which I carry with me to Mass every Sunday) is silent on this particular issue. As such, besides the commonly accepted praying gesture of folding hands (which should be literally interpreted as the right way), there may be some legitimate room for variety…but only insofar as the practice does not contradict local regulations or disrupt the prayerfulness of the Mass.

The posture of outstretched arms is called the “orans” position, and was a common sign of praise and adoration in the early church. During the development of the Roman Catholic liturgy, this posture became closely associated with the intercessory role of the priest on behalf of the people. The recent appearance of uplifted hands among the congregation probably originated in charismatic communities, but has since gained wider use. If it is done, individuals should be careful not to obscure the unique role of the ordained presider. It may be helpful to consider that even in concelebrated Masses; only the principal celebrant (not all the priests) maintains the “orans” posture while “Deliver us, Lord, from every evil…” is prayed.

The practice of holding hands is also very widespread. It is a devotional practice that can be very beautiful, and many families do so as part of their domestic piety during prayer. It might make sense if couples, families, or close-knit groups wish to hold hands during the Lord’s Prayer at Mass; but those who do this must guard against three things. First, this posture should not be mandated or broadly encouraged for the entire congregation. Holding hands can be harmless if conducted with dignity and if nobody is pressured into it. Those who hold hands must recognize and respect that many are uncomfortable with such an intimate posture, which often requires a strong sense of personal familiarity. Second, this practice should never detract from filial adoration of God, which is a focal point of the Our Father and of the entire Mass. The end of the Catechism of the Catholic Church is devoted to the Lord’s Prayer, and No. 2781 says this: “When we pray to the Father, we are in communion with him and with his Son, Jesus Christ. Then we know and recognize him with an ever new sense of wonder. Therefore, the liturgical recitation of the Our Father must not be self-centered, or otherwise distract from what should be a humble disposition before the Father’s transcendence. It is not primarily about us, but about God. Third, it would be misguided to hold hands during the Our Father if it is meant to promote a sense of unity or community that is allegedly lacking in the liturgy. Not only can this easily become superficial or devolve into a worldly understanding of solidarity, but the principle source of unity should always be the liturgy itself…especially the Eucharist and the reception of Holy Communion. We are preparing to enter into real communion with God while asking him to “keep us free from sin,” so that we may more perfectly live our adoption as his sons and daughters in the bond that is the body of Christ. Our goal is elevation into the community of saints.

So, although many practices are not explicitly forbidden, any extra actions or postures during the Lord’s Prayer must ultimately be evaluated according to whether they keep intact the integrity and reverence that are so fundamental to the Mass. In other words, there is no definite “right” or “wrong” way to participate in the communal recitation of the Our Father, except to say that it should be done with God in your heart.