WHEN DO WE BOW AND GENUFLECT AT MASS?
I. BOWING OF THE HEAD:
A bow signifies reverence and honor shown to the persons themselves or to the signs that represent them.
A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of the Saint in whose honor Mass is being celebrated.
Yes, every time Jesus name is mentioned, at any point during the Mass we are supposed to bow our heads. This also means, that when we sign ourselves with the sign of the Cross (since all three Divine Persons are named together) both at the beginning of Mass and at the end of Mass, During a solemn blessing at the end of Mass we are supposed to bow our heads.
After the consecration of the Body and Blood of Christ, the priest genuflect before the Body of Christ to adore we must join the priest by bowing our head. Same as the Blood of Christ.
Before receiving the Holy Eucharist at Communion: “When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord”.
In praying the “Glory be” we are supposed to bow:
“GLORY BE TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT….”
II. BOWING OF THE BODY:
A bow of the body, that is to say, a profound bow, is made to the altar… in the Creed at the words et incarnatus est (and by the Holy Spirit…. and became man) all make a profound bow.
We should bow during the Creed:
“..AND BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, WAS INCARNATE OF THE VIRGIN MARY, AND BECAME MAN.”
The only exception to this rule is on two specific feast days, when we do not bow at the waist but genuflect, namely the feasts of the Incarnation – Christmas and the Annunciation. As Christians, the very central doctrine of our faith is the Incarnation. Therefore, we reverence it every Mass at which the Creed is prayed with the bow of the body.
III. GENUFLECT:
The genuflection, seen as a sign of adoration, is reserved for the Eucharist as well as for the cross between its solemn veneration on Good Friday and the beginning of the Easter Vigil.
Before we enter/leave our sit we should genuflect to the tabernacle. It is appropriate to genuflect whenever passing in front of the tabernacle to honor the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords.
“THAT IN THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, OF THINGS IN HEAVEN AND THINGS ON EARTH AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH.” (Philippians 2:10)
Source from:
WHEN DO WE BOW AND GENUFLECT AT MASS? - THE SPLENDOR OF THE CHURCH. (2023, March 1). The Splendor of the Church; Splendor1618. https://thesplendorofthechurch.com/2023/03/01/when-do-we-bow-and-genuflect-at-mass/
