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There is also a triple sign of the cross that people make before hearing the Gospel at Mass. After the priest begins the gospel reading with the words “A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew (or Mark, Luke, John)”, extend the thumb toward yourself with the rest of the fingers relaxed and gently curved, and with the thumb trace a cross (vertical then horizontal motion barely touching the skin) on your forehead, then another one on the lips and a third one on the chest. The voiced response is “Glory to You Lord”, but the meaning of the crosses is to pledge the intention to understand the Gospel in your mind, proclaim it with your lips, and love it with your heart.

Other silent prayers used during the Mass are genuflexion toward the Tabernacle entering and leaving the pew (except to receive the Holy Communion), striking your chest (gently) during the general Rite of Confession at “sinned through my own fault”, a bow at “through the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man”, and, of course, kneeling before the Mass, at the Eucharistic Prayer and before and after the Communion Rite, and after the Mass is complete.

Prayers of gesticulation and posture are important. We believe that our body speaks its own language in which it should pray just as our mind prays, and our lips pray. It is interesting that in the Rosary prayer these three elements find themselves in a complex harmony: our fingers work the beads, our lips repeat the Hail Marys while our mind is on the Mysteries of the Gospel. In addition, intentions are often said at the beginning of the decade, as well as, of course, Our Father and Glory Be bracket the Hail Marys.