|
|
|
Last
week we finished with the Triumphal hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of
Sabaoth: heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the
highest.”
Today we continue with the prayer that follows the hymn which is in fact
not a separate prayer, but continues from the previous prayer and the
hymn.
“And with these blessed Powers, O Master and lover
of mankind, we also cry aloud and say: Holy and most Holy art Thou, and
Thine Only-begotten Son, and Thy Holy Spirit. Holy and most Holy art Thou,
and magnificent is Thy glory, who so loved Thy world that Thou didst give
Thine only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life. Who being come and having accomplished
all that was appointed for our sakes, in the night that He was betrayed,
but rather, in the which He did give Himself for the life of the world,
took bread in His sacred, pure and spotless hands, and when He had given
thanks, and blessed and sanctified it, He brake it and gave it to His holy
disciples and Apostles, saying:
Take, eat: this is my Body which is broken for you for the remission of
sins.
After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying,
Drink ye all of it; this is my Blood of the new testament, which is shed
for you and for many for the remission of sins.”
We mentioned last week that “In heaven, the angelic hosts glorify God,
while at the same time men join with them in a common choir and mimic and
chant the same glory to God. From above the Seraphim sing the Thriceholy
hymn, from below the same hymn is sang by the multitudes of men. In the
same way that the angelic powers sing Holy, Holy, Holy, we also now
confess that God the Father, together with his Only-begotten Son and His
Holy Spirit is Holy and most holy and magnificent in glory. We make
mention of the great love the Father had for the world that He gave his
only begotten Son to be sacrifice and that whosoever believes in Him will
not die but have everlasting life. He came into the world and accomplished
everything that was required to raise us from death to eternal life with
Him in the kingdom of heaven, with teachings and commandments that guide
us to salvation. He distanced from us the false religions of idols and
guided us to the knowledge of the One True God. The Divine Liturgy is a
mystical extension of the Mystical Supper. It is not a symbolic act or a
replay of what took place, but the very same Mystical Supper, because it
is Christ himself who offers and is offered. St. John Chrysostom says:
“Believe that even now, this is the very same supper
that Christ sat with His Disciples. That mystical Supper is not different
from this Mystery. Because this one is not performed by man and that one
performed by Christ. But that one and this one is offered by Him.”
Remembering then that very night of the Mystical Supper when He was
betrayed or rather, when He voluntarily gave himself up to be sacrifice so
that we might have eternal life, we recount that Mystical Supper which He
performed in that upper room. “He took bread in His
sacred, pure and spotless hands, and when He had given thanks, and blessed
and sanctified it…”
But why did He first give thanks to God the Father, if the Son is the
Priest and Sanctifier? It is to teach us that the Saviour possesses this
power of sanctification not in His quality as a man, but because He is
God, and because of the Divine power which He shares with His Father. This
is what the Lord himself wished to show us when, while instituting the
sacrament, He lifted his eyes up to heaven and offered the Bread to His
Father. For the same reason, He performed many of his miracles in an
attitude of prayer to God; He wished to show that this was not the work of
His human nature according to which He had a mother on earth, but of his
divinity, according to which God was His Father. So after giving thanks,
He blessed and sanctified it and broke it into portions and gave it to His
holy Disciples and Apostles, saying:
“Take, eat: this is my Body which is broken for you
for the remission of sins.”
After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped,
saying,
“Drink ye all of it; this is my Blood of the new
testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”
But having said these words, the sacrament is not yet consecrated.
They are still to be transformed into the Precious Body and Blood of our
Lord through descent of the Holy Spirit. At the Mystical Supper, Christ
having offered His Body and Blood to his disciples gave them a
commandment: that they should do this in remembrance of him. With this
commandment He teaches us that the true remembrance of him is not just a
mere thought, but an action: the celebration of His Mystical Supper. Thus
we remember this commandment of salvation and all those things which
followed saying:
“Remembering therefore this commandment of
salvation, and all those things which came to pass for our sakes: the
cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into
heaven, the sitting on the right hand, the coming again a second time in
glory,”
And then crossing his hands the Priest raises the holy things,
lifting the paten with his right hand and the chalice with his left,
making the sign of the Cross with them and says:
”Thine own of Thine own, we offer unto Thee in all and for all.”
Man received the world from the hands of God as a gift filled with divine
blessings. Wishing therefore to express His gratitude for all these
blessings, man wants to offer something in return, but what can he offer,
the whole world belongs to God. He can only offer God what he has received
from God. Thus the world which was the vehicle by which God transferred
His love to mankind returns to God and becomes the vehicle by which is
transferred our thanksgiving to God. We offer to God the gift He has
granted us placing upon it the seal of our gratitude. What is this seal?
It is the cultivation of the earth, the sowing of the seeds, the harvest,
the making of the dough and the crushing of the grapes. The bread and the
wine is the world which returns to God burdened with our labour, our
troubles, our joys and expectations. But this gift of the world is not the
only or greatest blessing to us. If with the first creation, God revealed
His love for mankind, by giving us the world, with the new creation He
revealed his love by offering as a gift to mankind his very self.
Therefore now with the new sacrifice we don’t offer God simply materials
of the earth, but Christ himself. We offer the same offering that the
Only-begotten Son offered to God the Father when He gave his life as a
ransom for many. (Matt. 20:28) And in offering it we give thanks saying:
“We hymn Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto
Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, our God.”
Then follows the most sacred moment of the Divine Liturgy, the
Consecration of the Bread and wine which will transform them into the
Precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Priest
beseeches the Father to send His Holy Spirit to accomplish the Mystery
saying:
“Moreover we offer unto Thee this reasonable and
bloodless service; and we beseech Thee, and we pray and implore Thee: send
down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here set forth.”
And the Priest blessing the holy bread shall say:
“And make this bread the precious Body of Thy
Christ. Amen.”
And the Priest blessing the chalice shall say:
“And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of
Thy Christ. Amen.”
And the Priest blessing both the holy bread and the chalice shall
say:
“Transmaking them by Thy Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen.
Amen.”
The Lord himself commanded the Apostles to celebrate the Mystical
Supper in remembrance of Him and through them, the whole Church.
“Do this”, He said, “in
remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) He would not have given this
command unless He was going to give them the power to enable them to do
this. What then is this power? It is the Holy Spirit, the power from on
high which has strengthened the Apostles according to the words which the
Lord spoke unto them: “But tarry ye in the city of
Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
Such is the work of that divine descent. For, once come down, the Holy
Spirit did not then forsake us, but He is with us, and he will remain
until the end. It is for this purpose that the Saviour sent him, so that
He may dwell with us for ever: “Even the Spirit of
truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you.” (John 14:17) This is the Spirit
who through the hand and the tongue of Priests consummates the Mysteries.
But the Lord was not satisfied with sending the Holy Spirit to abide with
us; He has himself promised to be with us, even unto the end of the world.
The Paraclete (Comforter) is present unseen, because he has not taken a
human form, but by means of the great and holy Mysteries the Lord submits
himself to our sight and touch through the dread and holy Mysteries,
because He has taken our nature upon Him and bears it eternally.
Such is the power of the priesthood, such is the Priest. For after once
offering Himself, and being made a sacrifice he did not end his
priesthood, but is continually offering the sacrifice for us, by virtue of
which He is our advocate before God for ever. And therefore it was said of
him: “Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek”
The Priest continues:
“That they may be to them that partake thereof unto
vigilance of soul, the remission of sins, the communion of Thy Holy
Spirit, the fulfilment of the kingdom of heaven; and for boldness to
approach Thee, neither unto judgement nor unto condemnation.”
“Moreover, we offer unto Thee this reasonable service for them that have
gone to their rest in faith: for our Forefathers, Fathers, Patriarchs,
Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Ascetics;
and for every righteous spirit in faith made perfect.”
When the sacrifice has been completed, the Priest, seeing before him the
pledge of God’s love of mankind, the Lamb of God, uses Him as his
intercessor and, with Him as advocate, makes his petitions known to God,
and pours forth his prayers in sure and certain hope; he asks that the
intentions which he commemorated when the bread was brought, those for
which he prayed at the preparation for the celebration of the mysteries,
and those for which he pleaded when offering up the gifts and asking that
they might be found acceptable may now have their effect, since God has
been pleased to accept our offerings.
What are these effects? They are common to the living and the departed:
that for the gifts which He has been pleased to accept, God will send
grace in return. In particular, that the departed may have rest for their
souls, and may, with the saints who have completed their course, inherit
the kingdom; and that the living may partake of the holy table, and be
made holy, and that none may partake to his own judgement and
condemnation; likewise, that they may receive remission of their sins,
peace, fruitfulness, and the provision of what is necessary to them; and
finally that they may in God’s sight appear worthy of the kingdom.
The offering of sacrifice is not only an act of supplication; it is one of
thanksgiving as well, in the same way that, at the beginning of the
liturgy, in dedicating the offerings to God, the Priest gave thanks and
made supplication at the same time; he now, having consecrated and
sacrificed these gifts, unites thanksgiving with petition. He states the
reasons for his thanksgiving, and names those for whom he prays.
The reasons for thanksgiving, are the Saints; for in them the Church finds
that which she seeks and obtains that for which she has prayed—the kingdom
of heaven. Those for whom she prays are they who have not yet reached
perfection and are still in need of prayer.
These are the Priest’s words concerning the saints:
“We offer thee also this spiritual sacrifice in
honour of those who rest in faith, our fathers and ancestors, patriarchs,
apostles, prophets, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, virgins and all
souls who have departed in peace, and especially for our most holy and
undefiled, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God, the
ever-virgin Mary.” Then he commemorates the whole assembly of the
saints. They are the cause for which the Church gives thanks to God. It is
for them that she offers to him a spiritual sacrifice in thanksgiving;
above all, it is for the blessed Mother of God, who surpasses all others
in holiness. That is why the Priest asks for nothing on behalf of the
saints; rather, he asks that he may be assisted by them in his prayers;
because, as we have said, for them the gifts are offered not in
supplication but in thanksgiving. That is also why at this moment the
choir sing hymns to the Mother of God as a thanksgiving:
“Meet it is in very truth to call thee blessed who
didst bring forth God, ever blessed and most pure, and Mother of our God.
More honourable than the cherubim and past compare more glorious than the
seraphim, who inviolate didst bear God the Word, very Mother of God, thee
we magnify.”
The Priest continues:
“For St. John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist,
for the holy and all-glorious Apostles, for St. [Name] to whose memory we
dedicate this day, and for all Thy saints, at whose intercessions visit
us, O God.
And remember all them that are fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection
unto life eternal: [and he remembers such as he will of the departed,
pronouncing their names] and give them rest where the light of Thy
countenance watcheth over them.
Also we beseech Thee, remember, O Lord, all the Orthodox episcopate who
rightly divide the word of Thy truth, all the priesthood, the diaconate
which is in Christ, and all clerical and monastic orders.
Also we offer unto Thee this reasonable service for the whole world; for
the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church; for them that live in purity and
decency; for those in authority over us who are faithful and pious and all
their household. Grant unto them, O Lord, to rule over us in peace, that
we also may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and decency.
And remember first, O Lord, our Archbishop [Name], whom do Thou grant to
serve Thy Holy Churches in peace, safety, honour, health and length of
days that he may rightly divide the word of Thy truth.”
“And everyone that each of us has in mind, and all and everyone.”
We ask the Lord to remember everyone that each of the faithful has
in his thoughts so each of us should at this moment inwardly remember and
pray for his loved ones and all those who have asked for our prayers.
The Priest continues:
“Remember, O Lord, this city [monastery or village]
in which we live, and every city and land, and them that dwell therein
with faith. Remember, O Lord, them that travel by water, by land, by air;
the sick and the suffering; those in captivity and their salvation.
Remember, O Lord, them that strive and bring forth the fruit of good works
in Thy holy Churches and them that care for the poor; and upon all of us,
do Thou send down Thy mercies.”
“And grant us with one mouth and one heart to
glorify and praise Thy sublime and majestic name, of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever: world without end.”
To glorify the sublime and majestic name of God, the faithful and
the whole Church must have one voice and one heart and to do this they
must be joined in their love for God and one another. This is a gift from
above and is only possible with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
So now after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the thanksgivings and
supplications the Holy Anaphora is finished and we begin a new phase of
the Liturgy - The Preparation of the faithful to partake of the Holy
Mysteries.
The Priest turning to face the people shall bless them saying:
“And may the mercies of our Great God and Saviour
Jesus Christ be with you all.”
The faithful who are preparing to partake of the Precious Body and Blood
of the Lord have great need of his mercy to receive forgiveness of their
sins. The Priests also have need of his mercy for they also are men with
weaknesses. Thus the people respond with:
“And with thy spirit.”
The Priest then continues with a new set of supplications:
“Calling to remembrance all the saints, again and
again in peace let us pray unto the Lord.”
“For the precious gifts here offered and hallowed, let us pray unto the
Lord.”
“That our God, which loveth mankind, who hath received them unto His holy
and heavenly and spiritual altar for a sweetsmelling savour of spiritual
fragrance, may send down upon us divine grace and the gift of the Holy
Spirit, let us pray unto the Lord.”
Here we pray not for the gifts to be sanctified for they have
already been sanctified and transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ,
but that they may impart this sanctification to us. For this is what we
mean when we ask the merciful God, who has accepted these offerings, to
send us grace in return. “Let us pray for the offerings” says the Priest,
that they be not rendered powerless to produce this grace, as occasionally
happened when our Saviour was on the earth – there were cities in which
his almighty hand could work no miracles, because of their lack of faith.
(Matt. 13:58)
Thus with the next petition we ask for faith:
“Having besought the unity of the faith and the
communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves, and one another,
and our whole life to Christ our God.”
The unity of faith is assurance that we will be accepted in the
unity of the Divine Eucharist. That is why before we approach the Chalice
of life we ask from the Lord to grant us unity of faith. The one faith
gives us the possibility to be nourished from the one Bread of life. The
Church is one body, the Body of Christ. She has one soul, one heart, one
mouth. That is why the Church denies communion to heretics- those who
belong to other churches and are not in unity of faith with us. This at
times can seem as hard and unchristian but how would it be possible to
give communion to people who believe in Christ in a different way, with a
different soul, a different heart and mouth. We would lose the unity of
faith which is essential for our salvation.
The Priest then offers this prayer silently:
“Unto Thee we entrust our entire being and our hope,
O Master and lover of mankind, and we beseech Thee and we pray and implore
Thee, account us worthy to partake of Thy heavenly and dread mysteries at
this sacred and spiritual table, with a pure conscience, unto the
remission of sins, the forgiveness of transgressions, the communion of the
Holy Spirit, an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, and for boldness to
approach Thee, neither unto judgement nor unto condemnation.”
We are now at the threshold of our communion of the Holy Mysteries and
recognize the burden of our sins, which remind us of our unworthiness to
approach. Our only hope is God’s compassion and his love for mankind. Thus
we now lay before God our whole life and all our expectations beseeching
him to forgive us all our sins and give us the boldness to approach the
sacred and spiritual table.
The Priest then says aloud:
“And vouchsafe, O Lord, that boldly and without
condemnation we may dare to lift our voices unto Thee, O heavenly God and
Father, and say:”
The Priest, considering that our preparation is now complete and
that we are worthy of Divine adoption and to be called sons and heirs of
the Kingdom of the Father, asks God that we may be held worthy and dare to
call him Father in the prayer that our Lord taught us. Thus with one voice
we lift up our voices and say:
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy
Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.”
And the Priest recites the conclusion as a doxology saying:
“For Thine is the kingdom. The power and the glory,
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever:
world without end.”
The Lord’s Prayer is of the greatest importance because it was
given to us by Christ himself as an example of prayer pleasing to God. We
will not, as this time, analyze the deeper meanings of the prayer, but
look only at two points of the prayer. The first we have already seen -
Our Father. We call God our Father because we are sons and children of
God. But this adoption, which we now receive and enjoy in the Church, is
an image of the future adoption and the inheritance of the Kingdom.
Children inherit wealth and lands from their parents and in a similar way
we inherit the wealth of the Holy Spirit. What is this wealth? It is the
Gifts and Grace of the Holy Spirit that will bestow upon all those found
worthy of the kingdom the greatest gift of God’s love by making them sons
and heirs which in reality means their deification, their elevation to
sainthood becoming gods through the grace of God.
St. John the Theologian write in his Epistle:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that
hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2)
The other point is “Give us this day our
daily bread.” From very early on, the Church placed the Lord’s
Prayer at this very moment of the Liturgy as a prayer to prepare the
faithful for Holy Communion, because it mentions to give us our daily
bread. In Greek it is “επιούσιος άρτος” which literally means “the bread
of substance.” Many of the Church fathers interpret this bread as the
bread of the Divine Liturgy, the Body of Christ.
The Priest then blesses the people saying:
“Peace unto all.”
As we said last week, the Priest gives this blessing of peace
immediately before an important event. He gave it before the reading of
the Gospel because we needed inner peace to help us understand the
spiritual wisdom of the scriptures. He gave it before our confession of
faith when we were called to love one another because inner peace prepares
the road for love and when we are at peace we are close to God. He gives
it again now because the need for peace is greater as we approach for
communion. St. John Chrysostom says: Through Holy Communion, you are about
to receive inside you Christ the King of all. When the King enters inside
you, there must be great calm in your soul. A great quietness and peace in
your mind.
We are next asked to bow down our heads before the Lord.
With the Lord’s Prayer we were reminded of our nobility by calling God our
Father, now we are called upon to acknowledge him as Lord, and to show him
a sign of our servitude by bowing our heads, thus indicating our
dependence on him. We bow before him not simply as creatures before our
Lord and Creator, but as purchased slaves to him who obtained us at the
price of the blood of his only Son; for he possesses us by double right,
as slaves whom he has made his children. For the same precious Blood both
increased our slavery and brought about the Divine adoption.
While the faithful bow their heads, the Priest gives thanks to God for all
that he has made and once more asks for those things which are necessary
to each, saying:
“We give thanks unto Thee, O King invisible, who in
Thine immeasurable power didst fashion all things, and in the multitude of
Thy mercies didst from non-being bring all things into being. Do Thou, O
Master, look down from heaven upon them that bow their heads unto Thee;
for they are bowed not before flesh and blood, but unto Thee, O dread God.
Therefore, do Thou grant, O Master, that these Thy gifts may be for each
of us beneficial, for each according to his needs. Sail with them that
sail, accompany them that travel by land, heal the sick, O Thou who art
the physician of our souls and bodies.
Through the grace and compassions and love for mankind of Thine
only-begotten Son, with whom Thou art blessed, together with Thine
all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever: world without
end.”
After this the Priest prays once more, in a low voice. Alls the
prayer of the Divine Liturgy have up to now been directed to the Father
and through the Father to the Holy Trinity. With this prayer the Priest
now invokes Christ himself, who is Victim, Priest, and Bread, that he may
give himself, by his own hand, to his servants.
“Give heed, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, from Thy
holy dwelling place, and from the glorious throne of Thy kingdom, and come
to sanctify us, O Thou that sittest on high with the Father and art here
invisibly present with us. And vouchsafe by Thy mighty hand to impart unto
us of Thy most pure Body and precious Blood; and through us unto all Thy
people.”
At this point the Priest exclaims:
“Let us attend,” in other words let us pay
attention.
And taking the Bread of Life with both hands, and raising it and making
the sign of the Cross with it says:
“The Holy Things unto the holy.”
He does not invite everyone to receive Communion, but only those
who are worthy, for holy things are only for the holy.” Those whom the
Priest calls holy are not only those who have attained perfection, but
those also who are striving for it without having yet obtained it. Nothing
prevents them from being sanctified by partaking of the holy Mysteries,
and from this point of view being saints. It is in this sense that the
whole Church is called holy, and that the Apostle, writing to the
Christian people as a whole, says to them: “Holy
brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling.” (Heb. 3:1) The
faithful are called saints because of the holy thing of which they
partake, because of him who’s Body and Blood they receive. But they are
also holy because the Divine Liturgy transcends our earthly time, and is
in fact the Feast, the Banquet of the New Kingdom.
If we understand “The Holy Things unto the holy”
with our earthly time then no one can receive Communion for no one
is holy but God, and to this we reply:
“One only is holy, One only is the Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God
the Father. Amen.”
If the Holy things are only for those who are Holy, how do we dare
approach and partake of these dread Mysteries? We partake because we
anticipate the Universal Kingdom. We say “The Holy things unto the Holy”
because we have been transcended to the banquet of the New Kingdom. We are
with Christ at the Wedding banquet which means that we have been saved and
if we have been saved then we are saints and therefore Holy. If we are
found standing with Christ after the General Resurrection then Christ has
found us worthy to be among the ranks of saints and therefore worthy to
partake of the Wedding Banquet.
The Priest now breaks the Body of Christ into four parts saying:
“Broken and divided is the Lamb of God; which being
broken yet is not divided; Being ever eaten, never is consumed; But
sanctifieth them that partake thereof.”
During that first ever Divine Liturgy, Christ broke the Bread and
gave it to his disciples saying:
“Take, eat: this is my Body which is broken for
you.” At each Liturgy this act of Christ is repeated, the Priest
breaks the Lamb of God and offers it to the faithful. Christ is broken but
not divided. After the breaking, Christ is complete and whole in each part
of the Holy Bread. When we partake, we don’t partake of a little part of
Him, but we take in us the whole of Christ and being eaten he is never
consumed.
Next the Priest takes one of the four pieces and puts it into the Chalice
saying:
“The fullness of the Holy Spirit.”
At this moment the union of Christ’s Body and Blood takes place and
means that Christ is One and proclaims the union of Christ’s nature.
“The fullness of the Holy Spirit” means that
Christ fills us with the Holy Spirit.
Then taking a vessel with warm water, called the Zeon which means warm
water, the Priest shall first bless it saying:
“Blessed is the fervency of Thy saints, always, now
and for ever: world without end. Amen.”
And then shall pour the warm water into the chalice, saying:
“The fervency of faith, full of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.”
The warm water symbolizes the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
Church. For the Holy Spirit came down when the whole plan of redemption
had been completed. And now the descent of the Spirit comes about when the
sacrifice has been offered and the holy offerings have reached their
perfection.
Starting with the Preparation for the Divine Liturgy until now we have
seen the whole scheme of Christ’s work. We saw the symbol of the infant
Christ, of Christ led to death, crucified, and pierced with a lance; then
we saw the bread transformed into the most holy Body which actually
endured these sufferings, and rose from the dead, and ascended into
Heaven, where it sits at the right hand of the Father. So it is fitting
that the later fulfilment of all these events should be symbolized, that
the celebration of the Liturgy may be complete, the final effects being
added to the work of redemption.
What is the final effect? It is the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the
Church. And this is represented by the warm water poured into the chalice.
Since this warm water is not only water, but shares the nature of fire, it
signifies the Holy Spirit, who is sometimes represented by water, and who
came down upon the Apostles in the form of fire. This point of the liturgy
represents that moment in time, for the Holy Spirit came down after all
things pertaining to Christ had been accomplished. In the same way, when
the holy offerings have attained their ultimate perfection, this water is
added.
For the mysteries also represent the Church, which is the Body of Christ;
she received the Holy Spirit after our Lord’s ascension; now she receives
the gift of the Holy Spirit after the offerings have been accepted at the
heavenly altar; God, who has accepted them, sends us the Holy Spirit in
return, as we have said; for then and now there is one Mediator and one
Spirit.
The Priest will then say to himself the prayers of preparation and receive
communion.
After his Communion he will place the other pieces of the Body into the
Chalice and call the faithful to approach saying:
With fear of God, with faith and love draw near.
Repentance, confession, prayer and fasting comprise the spiritual
preparation for our participation of the Divine Mysteries. Fear of God,
faith and love constitute the way in which we must approach for communion:
our spiritual and physical attitude before Christ who calls us to his
Supper. St. John Chrysostom says: When you are about to approach the holy
and fearful table, to this Divine Mystery, approach with fear and
trembling, with a clear conscience, with fasting and prayer. Without
making a noise, without stepping on toes, and without pushing those next
to you. Because this disorder is a sample of the greatest madness and
contempt of the Holy Mysteries. Tell me, O man, why do you make a noise,
why are you in such a rush? Are you being pressured by the need to do your
chores? And are you at this moment thinking that you have work to do? Do
you have the feeling that you are on earth? Do you think that you are
together with other men?
Now there are two kinds of fears of God: the first is created in our soul
by the threats of hell and eternal damnation, the second is connected and
associated with love itself. This kind of fear gives birth to devotion,
reverence and godliness in the soul so that the soul doesn’t take God for
granted because of the freedom and familiarity created by love.
We approach also with faith not doubting for a moment that what we are
about to receive is the Body and Blood of our Saviour. Of course our eyes
see bread and wine and our tongue senses the taste of bread and wine, but
things are not as they appear. From the moment when the Holy Spirit
descended and the Sacrament was perfected, we no longer have that which we
see with our eyes or taste with our tongue. We have that which we believe,
worship and adore. We have the very Body and Blood of our Christ who
communicates to us life and incorruptibility.
After the faithful receive communion there follows prayers and hymns of
thanksgiving and finally the dismissal. Sadly we don’t have the time to
take a closer look at these prayers and hymns, but maybe we will have the
opportunity to look at them at a later date. I wish to thank you all for
your devoted attendance of these talks and hope to see you all again when
we restart with the new school year in the autumn. Happy holidays.
|
|
|
