GENUFLECTING WHEN WE ENTER THE CHURCH “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow” Phillipians 2:10

The return of the tabernacle that houses the reserved Body of Christ to a more visible place is an opportunity to revive the practice of genuflection. This act of bending the knee is an outward bodily sign of our interior attitude; a tangible expression of reverence, worship, and submission before the presence of God.

Genuflection is a declaration of the centrality of God in our lives, the surrender of our will to His divine majesty. Before the Eucharist, our genuflection expresses our faith in His living presence.

St. Thomas Aquinas famously said that “Satan doesn’t have knees because he genuflects to no one.” This contrast highlights the power of genuflection as a visible sign of our submission to God’s authority and divinity.

Genuflection is far more than a ritual; it is a living tradition that embodies the reverence, adoration, and worship due to Christ in the Eucharist. By continuing this practice, we honour Jesus, affirming His real presence and strengthening our own faith.

THE STENCILLING on the back wall is not mere decoration but its symbolism reminds us of how our church is dedicated to Mary, Mother of God and Our Lady of Lourdes:

i) the stylised “M” is, of course, the first letter of Mary’s name.

ii) the fleur-de-lis, the stylised lily, represents purity and chastity and, thus, in Christian symbolism represents the virgin Mary, the Immaculate Conception, conceived without the stain of sin.

iii) the crown reminds us that Mary has been crowned Queen of Heaven by her Son, Jesus.

iv) the stars recall “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1). This crown of stars is a powerful symbol of Mary’s queenship, her privileges, and her maternal care for the Church.