it was kind of like that. Most Catholics didn't know why they knelt down when they entered the Church.
Catholics kneel during mass a few times. During the mass, they kneel during what is called the Eucharistic prayer. This is when the priest says the words of Jesus from the Last Supper, "This is my body...This is my blood". Catholics believe that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Since they believe that Jesus Christ is God, it makes sense that they kneel during this part of their Church service. Most Catholics I came in contact with at least realized this. A good number didn't know however why they kneel with one knee and make the sign of the cross when they enter the Church. Some of them seemed to kneel to the altar, others to the gold box (called the tabernacle). Still others seemed to just kneel down towards anything and everything. Though they didn't know, when I looked into it, it made sense. Catholics genuflect (this is the name for the act of kneeling with one knee in reverence toward something. They genuflect towards the golden box (tabernacle) which holds the Eucharist that was consecrated (set apart or made holy) during a previous mass. That means that Catholics believe this is the body of Jesus Christ in that box. Therefore, when a Catholic walks into the Church, he genuflects (kind of like how a knight or other person would kneel before their king in the throne room) towards Christ, wherever he is.
Another cool thing I realized is that you always know when a tabernacle is empty or full because of the lighted candle near it. Most all Catholic churches have a red candle hanging near the tabernacle. When Christ is present there, they light the candle so all those know. Nobody wants to bow down to nothing, so it makes sense that if there is no light, and no Jesus, there doesn't need to be a genuflection.
Catholics are called to bow to the altar when they enter the Church. The reason for this is reverence to the sacrificial table, and the table of the lord...it has been consecrated for a holy purpose too - Christ's sacrifice made present to believers at Mass.
It seems as though, if one knows what they are doing, it is a way to holiness. The person is humbly admitting that Christ is present, he is their king, and they are his. Sadly it seems that most people are just being followers and don't know why they do what they do. In that case, it has little to no meaning. Maybe they can still grow in holiness from it however. We can only hope.
- CPC
