PERFECT POSTURE FOR PRAYER

Three eminent experts were teaching liturgy in a major seminary in India. In a seminar, they were discussing about the ideal posture to be followed by the faithful during the recital of the Lord’s Prayer (‘Our Father’). They differed in their views.

One professor argued that the hands should be raised and outstretched to heaven to praise the Lord. That posture resembles that of a child lifting his arms to his loving father, requesting him to raise him and carry him on the shoulders of the father.

The second scholar said that the ideal posture for a prayer requesting generous gifts from God would be that of supplication, with open hands placed in front as if to receive a stream of water to drink.

The third expert was an advocate of inculturation and indigenisation in liturgy. He suggested that the hands should be austerely clasped together in front of the chest, with the palms pressed together firmly and evenly as this posture (namasthe or anjali mudra) is practised by all Indians as a sign of respect and greeting. Even non-Christians use this posture during prayer in India, he informed.

Their argument continued till they had to stop the discussion to participate in the Holy Mass in the neighbouring church. They decided to observe carefully the postures adopted by different people during the Lord’s Prayer in the Holy Mass and meet again to continue their discussion.

At the time of the Lord’s Prayer, they watched the people carefully. Some people raised their hands, some showed a sign of supplication and some others held their hands clasped together as a uniform instruction was not given by the Vicar.

They noticed an apparently poor person at the back of the church, wearing torn and worn-out clothes, standing with his body covered by a cheap shawl. He remained in deep meditation, with closed eyes. He did not change his posture during the Lord’s prayer.

After the Mass, the scholars met this man and enquired why he did not change his posture during the Lord’s Prayer. He shook his shoulders as he was afraid of facing three priests together. Soon the shawl which covered him fell down. They realized that he had no hands to display during the prayer! The poor man had lost his arms in an accident. The experts realized that real spirituality does not need rituals. Postures and rituals may strengthen spirituality but are not essential components of spirituality.

The three experts helped the man to cover himself with the shawl. They returned from the church, much enlightened. 

Jesus taught, “But when you pray, go to your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father who sees what you do in private, will reward you” {Matthew 6: 6}.

……………………………………………………………………………

©By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India and Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit the web-sites:

http://www.moral-stories.com

http://christian.moral-stories.com

This is Story No. 197 in the second site. Please click ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of a page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of a page to read newer stories in these sites. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.