The Lutheran version of the confiteor, called the Preparation, is best spoken in its entirety. This is a most helpful correction which LSB has made to the TLH rite. For the invocation, all face the altar (at the lowest point, below all steps) as the celebrant speaks "In the name . . ." After the amen, he turns by his right to face the people for "Beloved in the Lord . . ." He then turns back by his left, and all kneel for the versicles and confession. Then he alone rises, proceeds up one step, and turns by his right to face the people for the absolution/declaration of grace. He makes the sign of the cross with his right hand, all fingers fully extended. Then he steps back down and turns by his left toward the altar for the Introit.
The Preparation is not a necessary ingredient, and is not, strictly speaking, part of the Mass at all. In certain cases it may be omitted altogether. This is generally the case, for instance, at weekday masses.
Preparation
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7 comments:
Does anyone else follow the practice of omitting this during weekday masses?
Can you explain the "all fingers extended" remark about the pastor's hand? I've noticed a wide variety here and have been, frankly, a bit disconcertd by signs of the cross made in what appear to be more akin to Karete than ecclesiastical decorum.
The rubric of extending the hand derives, I believe, from the laying on of hands as is done in the private setting.
I always thought we are to shape the hand, with two fingers up, the other two fingers held by the thumb, down. Or is this to be used only for blessings. And I assume you mean the hand is not palm out toward the congregation, which, in Lutheran Churches particularly, would be uncomfortably close to the old "Sieg Heil" thing. Though, I've seen even that.
Well, the palm is facing the congregation, but it doesn't look anything like a Nazi thing. And this particular "palm open" blessing is reserved only for the words of the absolution. It is not used, say, at the benediction.
I think it might be helpful, and perhaps it is posted somewhere, to cite the source of authority for all these finely detailed rubrics. Thanks!
That would take some doing. Some are from Lamburn (Anglican), some from Fortescue (Roman), some from Piepkorn (Lutheran) and frankly some are rubrics for which I don't remember the source. I'm hoping this seminar will shed some light, even for me.
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