Prostration on Good Friday

The Daily Mail is irreverently treating the prostration of Pope Francis yesterday during Good Friday services like some sort of novelty.  But it is not a novelty at all, but common practice for Roman Catholic and many Anglican priests.

I first encountered this at Smokey Matt’s on Good Friday years ago.  The Mass began with the celebrant and his assistants lying prostrate for quite some period of time.  This impressed me.  Instead of finding it strange, I found it very appropriate.

And if Good Friday is not a time for prostration, when is? 

In fact, the first thing I did yesterday morning was to go up into my attic chapel and lie silently prostrate (face down, of course).  I was going to services later, but felt it meet and right to get my prostration in.

May God bless all my readers, prostrate and otherwise, as we conclude remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.