TO RAISE OR NOT TO RAISE! THAT IS THE QUESTION?
QUESTION?
Dear Jesse and friends of Jesus 911. I truly enjoy the show .Oct 9th the show concerning the healing of the family tree was great. My issue is with a couple of Kyle Clements comments. Kyle said its not Catholic to lift hands during worship and or that was reserved for the priest? St. Paul said to lift holy hands and he did not make a distinction between Priest and laity. Kyle then said confessing the sins of the nation wasn't Catholic ? So what was Daniel doing in chapter 9? I'm really Not trying to pick on Kyle I just don't get some of these comments in an otherwise great show. William Camirand
ANSWER!
Catholic worship is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The raising of hands during Holy Mass is known as the 'orans position.' It is a Priestly posture, their is nowhere in the documents of the Liturgy where Lay people are told to raise their hands during Holy Mass - it was brought into the Catholic Church in the 60's through the Charismatic Renewal with was borrowed from the Protestant Pentecostals. In 1 Timothy 2:8 Paul (an Apostle) is writing to Timothy (a Bishop), he is telling him how a holy man leads public worship. they were both Jews who prayed in the Orans position (a jewish form of prayer). This position of prayer has been maintained in the Catholic clergy as they lead us in worship God at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
The Church legislates the postures of the Priest and Laity at Holy Mass. Here is a good article on the orans position (approved by St John Paul II) https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/on-certain-questions-regarding-the-collaboration-of-the-nonordained-faithful-in-the-sacred-ministry-of-priest-2094
Article 6
Liturgical Celebrations
1. Liturgical actions must always clearly manifest the unity of the People of God as a structured communion.(89) Thus there exists a close link between the ordered exercise of liturgical action and the reflection in the liturgy of the Church's structured nature.
This happens when all participants, with faith and devotion, discharge those roles proper to them.
2. To promote the proper identity (of various roles) in this area, those abuses which are contrary to the provisions of canon 907 are to be eradicated. In eucharistic celebrations deacons and non-ordained members of the faithful may not pronounce prayers — e.g. especially the eucharistic prayer, with its concluding doxology — or any other parts of the liturgy reserved to the celebrant priest. Neither may deacons or non-ordained members of the faithful use gestures or actions which are proper to the same priest celebrant. It is a grave abuse for any member of the non-ordained faithful to "quasi preside" at the Mass while leaving only that minimal participation to the priest which is necessary to secure validity.
Notice, this is why Deacons do not raise their hands at Holy Mass - because their not in persona Christi. Neither are the laity, only the Priest is in persona Christi so only he can do the "orans position" at Mass.
Outside of Mass at a conference, at a retreat, in your private time worshipping God you can absolutely raise your hands - those are non liturgical settings where you have freedom to express your love to God as you desire.