Standing vs. Kneeling to Receive

Last week, an Anglo-Catholic friend advised me that kneeling was not a good idea while trying to recover from a torn meniscus in my knee.  And when an Anglo-Catholic advises against kneeling . . .   Looking back, I suspect I did aggravate my knee with this pious practice. (Actually, I was kneeling to piously place something in a kitchen cabinet, but that is beside the point.)

So yesterday was the first time for me to receive the Blessed Sacrament at my parish whilst standing.  I have received standing during morning Low Masses at Pusey House, but cannot recall receiving standing elsewhere.  (By the way, the common practice is to kneel to receive during Solemn High Mass at Pusey House.  But that is in a more padded and railed chapel.)

I think I prefer to kneel; it is easier for me to have a right attitude that way.  Posture does affect mindset I have found.  But I have heard it argued that standing to receive actually has more tradition behind it.  And I’ve experienced, particularly at Pusey House, that standing has a degree of solemnity and simplicity to commend it.

In any case, my right knee is being something of a dictator even in liturgical matters.  So standing it will be for me for a while at least.

(The knee has improved over the weekend by the way, but continued prayers are appreciated and probably needed.)