Ad orientem and Communion kneeling, "Let us break bread together on our knees"

A friend recently pointed out to me that the popular African American spiritual, “Let us break bread together on our knees” – a hymn obviously inspired by the words of our past Sunday’s Gospel, Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:35) – advocates both communion kneeling and liturgical celebration ad orientem. How shocking it is that this hymn, which among Catholic churches is heard almost exclusively in rather “progressive” parishes, promotes such traditional liturgical practices. Perhaps there is some hope for the future of so-called “liberal” Catholicism after all! (though we have our doubts)

Let us break bread together on our knees

The text of the hymn follows:

Let us break bread together on our knees,

Let us break bread together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us drink wine together on our knees,

Let us drink wine together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Let us praise God together on our knees,

Let us praise God together on our knees.

When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

Granting that some versions of this traditional spiritual have replaced “my face to the rising sun” with “my face to the Lord of life,” we must note that in its original formulation the hymn makes a very clear reference to the cosmic dimension of the Liturgy which is so aptly expressed in the practice of ad orientem – facing to the east, to the rising sun, to the Lord of life who is to come in glory.

Likewise, when the spiritual states, “Let us break bread together on our knees,” we are not to suppose the rather ridiculous image of breaking break apart by hitting it upon the knee; rather, the hymn refers to the breaking of the bread of which Cleopas and his companion speak in Luke’s Gospel. The African spiritual alludes to the traditional practice of receiving communion kneeling down – a practice which is also common now at all papal Masses.

Still, although the hymn has obvious merits, we might refrain from recommending its use in the Liturgy. It is quite difficult to see how such music “adds delight to prayer, fosters unity of minds, or confers greater solemnity upon the sacred rites.” (Sacrosanctum Concilium 112)

Ratzinger on the reception of Holy Communion

It may be helpful to note Cardinal Ratzinger’s response to the question “How should we actually receive Holy Communion?”

The Cardinal’s reply, in part: “The signs of reverence we use have changed in the course of time. But the essential point is that our behavior should give to inner recollection and reverence an outward bodily expression. Earlier, Communion used to be received kneeling, which made perfectly good sense. Nowadays it is done standing. But this standing, too should be standing in reverence before the Lord. The attitude of kneeling ought never to be allowed to disappear from the Church.”

Another question was brought forward, “Communion in the hand, or directly in the mouth?” Ratzinger’s response, “I wouldn’t want to be fussy about that.” (God and the World, pgs. 409-410)

Ratzinger on ad orientem

“A common turning to the East during the Eucharistic Prayer remains essential. This is not a case of something accidental, but of what is essential. Looking at the priest has no importance. What matters is looking together at the Lord. It is not now a question of dialogue, but of common worship, of setting off towards the One who is to come. What corresponds with the reality of what is happening is not the closed circle, but the common movement forward expressed in a common direction for prayer.” (The Spirit of the Liturgy, chapter three)

“The physical orientation, the Congregation [for Divine Worship] says, must be distinguished from the spiritual. Even if a priest celebrates versus populum, he should always be oriented versus Deum per Iesum Christum (towards God through Jesus Christ). Rites, signs, symbols, and words can never exhaust the inner reality of the mystery of salvation.” (from his “Forward” to Turning towards the Lord by U.M. Lang)