* The Mass of the Roman Rite Jungmann, S.J.
The principal posture (aside from the early period with its meal celberation) has always been a posture of standing. Before the higher Being whome he wishes to honor, a person stands erect, particularly when he realizes his obligation of service.AJust as the priest at the altar stands before God in reverential readiness, so also the faithful; they are the circumstantes. In line with this, it was an understood norm in olden times that the people followed the motions of the bishop or priest when he said prayers and, in general, all the rest of his deportment, so that like him they stood with hands uplifted and facing east. Standing was the ordinary posture of prayer even among ancient peoples, in fact, standing with uplifted hands and with eyes fixed in the direction of the rising sun. This posture of prayer was continued by the Christains, both people and liturgi together, with only thios variant; they saw in the orient sun whcih they faces, an image of the risen Christ...But later in the Middle Ages the bodily posture of the faithful grew more and more unlike that of the priest.....On Sundays and feast days...the standing position was retained. It was not until the eucharistic movement of the thriteenth century that any inroad was made here, namely, by kneeling at the consecration."
In a footnote, we read, It is precisely this passage from Ambrose that shows that the lifting of hands (following 1 Tim 2:8) was observed by the faithful especialy at worship...In Switzerland it was still customary in 150 for the faithful at high Mass to pray with arms outstretched from the Consecration to the Communion.
Most interesting! In the Eastern Catholic Traditions, we stand ... a lot! After communion, some kneel but most choose to stand - a sign of reverence. (This is also demonstrated in the Latin Rite when we stand for the reading of the Gospel).
In our Maronite Church, we use the orans postion when praying the Our Father. Initially, I balked at the stance, attributing it to the post VCII liturgy. But then I realized that the Maronites do not follow the Novus Ordo; hence there must be some authenticity to this action. Still confused but following protocol :-)