The Devil Has No Knees

I Have had this link saved for a while, and while doing some "New Year's cleaning" I stumbled upon it again and found it quite relevant. Many dioceses around the country are reverting back to the GIRM as it is written, as we are here in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. There are still many who deny the efficacy of kneeling, or even understand its theological purpose as a posture.

This addresses the question from a theoretical or philosophical angle, almost metaphysical.

From Defende Nos In Proelio:

I was fascinated by a point made on Fr. Simon Henry's blog: that the Devil is often depicted in art as having no knees. Digging a little further I discovered that:

According to Abba Apollo, a desert father who lived about 1,700 years ago, the devil has no knees; he cannot kneel; he cannot adore; he cannot pray; he can only look down his nose in contempt. Being unwilling to bend the knee at the name of Jesus is the essence of evil. (Cf. Is 45:23, Rom 14:11) But when we kneel at Jesus' name, when we bow down in service of others, and when we bend the knee in adoration, we are following in the footsteps of the Magi, we are imitating Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, and all the saints and angels in heaven. 

It is hard to imagine that anyone would want to deny themselves the opportunity to kneel. It seems to be the only worthy response to Christ, the King. To God, the Father. To the Holy Spirit. We come as such unworthy beings to their place of honor, the Church, and ask so much from them. The least we can do - is kneel.

Maybe it is my sentimental understanding of "on your knees and praying..." but it seems like a final act of faith for those lost in a world of chaos and destruction. It also seems the one act we can do which conveys a, "Thank You" to a mercy undeserved.

The devil doesnt kneel...

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If nothing else though, it is a an act of defiance to the devil. It is a submission which he can not give, nor ever would. It is an act he cannot do. It is a symbol which I am sure he takes the utmost pain in seeing. The sniveling, the groveling, the begging for mercy and love from those of us that bend and kneel to God, and the devil knows we aren't worthy... and yet God grants us that which we ask. It must make the devil explode with frustration and anger. So that alone is a reason for me. The fact that I am doing that which evil hates... must mean I am doing something which love adores.

So I kneel.

[UPDATE]:

Please also see Father John Boyle's post on the same subject, much more eloquently written of course.

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