Q:  During the Lamb of God, I’ve noticed some priests fracturing the bread, then praying the silent prayer (bowing profoundly), and then genuflecting as the Lamb of God is still going on, then starting to raise the chalice and host just as the people are beginning to kneel.

In my interpretation of the Roman Missal, the genuflection is associated with the picking up the Body and Blood of Christ. So, to genuflect at a point not immediately before picking up the chalice and host to show to the congregation for the Behold the Lamb of God…is disconnecting the two actions. Secondarily, it seems that you should wait until the congregation is completely kneeling before raising the host.

The GIRM in the Roman Missal says:

83. The Priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the Body of Jesus Christ, living and glorious. The supplication Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) is usually sung by the choir or cantor with the congregation replying; or at least recited aloud. This invocation accompanies the fraction of the bread and, for this reason, may be repeated as many times as necessary until the rite has been completed. The final time it concludes with the words grant us peace.

84. The Priest prepares himself by a prayer, said quietly, so that he may fruitfully receive the Body and Blood of Christ. The faithful do the same, praying silently. Then the Priest shows the faithful the Eucharistic Bread, holding it over the paten or over the chalice, and invites them to the banquet of Christ; and along with the faithful, he then makes an act of humility, using the prescribed words from the Gospels.

In the Missal it says, “Then, the priest, with hands joined, says quietly:”

This “Then” makes me think it’s supposed to be prayed after the Lamb of God.

Question: Should priests not genuflect until the Lamb of God is finished, so as to keep that action associated with the lifting of the Precious Body and Blood?

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A:  For many years I did what you describe many priests do: I said the private prayer and genuflected during the Lamb of God. Then I noticed the rubric you’ve noticed, and I changed my practice. During the Lamb of God, I break the bread, put a particle in the chalice, and say the appropriate prayer for that gesture. Then I wait for the Lamb of God to finish. At that point, I recite the private prayer preceding the priest’s communion. Then I genuflect, pick up the host, wait for the people to finish kneeling, and announce, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

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