Understanding the Divine Liturgy

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Understanding the Divine Liturgy
Celebrating The Year of the Holy Eucharist

• Session 6
• The Liturgy of the Faithful Continued
• (Holy Communion)
• A study based on the books The Heavenly
  Banquet, by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
• The Orthodox Faith vol. II (Worship) by Fr.
  Thomas Hopko
• Understanding The Orthodox Liturgy by Fr.
  Michel Najim T.L. Frazier

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Preparation for
Holy Communion

• Immediately following the Anaphora (The
  Eucharistic prayer including the Epiclesis or
  Prayer of Consecration, the priest says

And grant us (to worship) with one mouth and one
heart to glorify and praise thine all honorable
and majestic name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit now and ever, and unto
ages of ages. Amen. This petition is an
expression of our ultimate purpose in life.to
stand united together, glorifiying and praising
the most Holy Trinity

• Then we wish each other the mercies of our Great
  God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Priest May the mercies of our great God and
Savior Jesus Christ be with all of you. A
Direct quote from St. Paul to Titus. (Titus
213) And the people respond And with your
spirit.

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Preparation for
Holy Communion

• 3. Here the priest blesses the people and begins
  a set of 12 petitions.
• (Usually these are skipped)
• a. Commemorating the Saints,
• b. Begging God to receive the Eucharistic
  gifts upon His holy, most heavenly,
• and ideal altar
• c. Asking God to Send down in return His
  Divine Grace and the gift of the Holy
• Spirit.
• d. Ending the petitions with a prayer
  asking for
• 1. The unity of the Faith and the
  Communion of the Holy Spirit.
• 2. and to commend ourselves and
  each other and all our life unto Christ our God.
• Then the priest asks on behalf of all of us
  that we may be made worthy

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The Liturgy of the Faithful The Lords Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven.

• Why do we DARE to call upon God, as Father?
• Because it is an awesome thing to call the
  almighty God, Father.
• a. The Jews and Gentiles dared not.
• b. In fact, Christ was killed for referring to
  God as His Father.
• We now dare, because Christ paved the way for us
  to do so, by re-uniting us with Our Father.
  Only Gods children (by Grace) can refer to Him
  as Father.
• -We become children of God by the Holy Spirit in
  chrismation. (John 112 Those who believe are
  given the right by Christ)
• 3. Jesus (Son of God) taught us to pray this way.
  (Matt. 69-13)
• 4. We dare, because we understand that by doing
  so we
• Understand our obligations and responsibilities
• of being called CHILDREN OF GOD.

• What is A Child of God?
• Seeks Peace
• Seeks Perfection
• Loves their neighbor their enemies
• Prays for those who persecute them
• Pursues Gods Will
• And givesexpecting nothing in return

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The Liturgy of the Faithful The Lords Prayer
The Lords prayer (or discipleship prayer) has
been said just before receiving communion since
the 5th century.

• Through this prayer, we unite ourselves to God.
• Christ is the daily bread we ask for, and the
  bread which we will receive.
• I am the bread of life. (John 648)
• I am the living bread which came down from
  heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will
  live forever and the bread that I give is My
  flesh, which I shall give for the life of the
  world. (John 651)
• Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
  drink His blood, you have no life in you.
  Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has
  eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last
  day. (John 653-54)
• Unity with God gives us
• Remission of sins
• forgiveness of transgressions
• communion with the Holy Spirit
• Inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven
• (Refer to the priestly prayer, said quietly,
  just prior to the Lords prayer) pg. 118 in
  service book

The People say together Our Father, who art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name Thy Kingdom come
Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us
our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us and lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil.
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The Liturgy of the Faithful The Elevation of
the Gifts
Then the priest directs our attention to the icon
of Christ and says Let us bow our heads unto
the Lord

• With bowed heads the priest (on behalf of all)
  prays for
• Christ, Himself, to come and distribute His Body
  Blood.
• 2. Christ to come and sanctify us.

Then comes the Elevation Let us attend! Holy
Things are for the holy.
The people respond to the priests
invitation (Only) One is Holy! (by Nature) One
is Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the
Father. Amen.
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The Liturgy of the Faithful The Elevation of
the Gifts
The Meaning of the Elevation

• It is a special invitation to communion. But not
  intended for everyone.
• a. The priest raises the gifts (showing them to
  the people) and calls all those who are holy
  (or worthy) to receive Christs body and
  blood.
• So, who are the holy (or worthy)?
• a. We respond Only One. (We know that only
  Jesus is worthy.)
• b. But St. Nicholas Cavasilas (12th Century)
  says
• 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. In this sense, the whole church is
  called holy.
• We understand that no one has holiness of
  himself, but it comes to all exclusively from the
  Father, through Christ and in the Holy Spirit.
• No one has rendered to God the glory which is
  His due.
• 3. The church (the body of Christor all
  Christians) is not perfect, but we become (truly
  and really) sanctified through the holy Mystery
  of communion.

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion
The people then chant Psalm 1481 Praise the
Lord from the heavens praise Him in the highest.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. as the priest
breaks the sacred Bread (Called The Fracture.)
saying Divided and distributed is the Lamb of
God, who is divided, yet not disunited who is
ever eaten, yet never consumed, but sanctifies
those who partake thereof.

• The Meaning of the Fracture.
• It symbolizes Christs sacrificial death.
• divided, yet not disunited
• a. We dont receive only a piece of Christ, but
  Christ is fully present even in the smallest
  particle of the consecrated gifts.
• ever eaten, yet never consumed
• a. Christs body can never be entirely eaten,
  no matter how many liturgies are celebrated
  around the world on any Sunday.
• b. The Church will never run out of the grace of
  the eucharistic Mystery. (Similar to Christs
  miracle of multiplying the loaves. (John 61-14)

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion
Then the priest arranges the pieces of the Lamb
on the Diskos in the form of a cross. IC
NI KA XC Then
placing the IC into the Chalice, he says The
fullness of the Cup, of the Faith, of the Holy
Spirit. And blessing the zeon (means
boiling) filled with boiling hot water, he pours
it into the Chalice saying The fervor of faith,
full of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Placed in the Chalice.)
(For the people)
(For the clergy.)
The meaning of the hot water

• Represents the warm blood and water that flowed
  from Christs side.
• Signifies the decent of the Holy Spirit upon the
  church at Pentecost.
• Reminds us that the Holy Spirit is acting upon
  the gifts presented.
• (Physically changing them into the Body and
  Blood of Christ.)

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion

• 1. The clergy then receive Holy Communion at the
  altar, separately, following the ancient order of
  the Church.
• NOTE (Everyone received communion
  separately up to around
  the ninth century, when the spoon was
  
• introduced as a way to insure not dropping
  communion.)
• After receiving communion, the clergy say
• Lo, this has touched my lips and shall take
  away mine iniquities, and purge away my sins.
• a. This is another reference to the prophet
  Isaiahs vision of heaven.
• Then one of the Seraphim was sent to me. He
  had a live coal in his hand, which he took with
  tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth, and
  said Behold, this has touched your lips. Your
  lawlessness is taken away, and your sin is
  cleansed.
• (Isaiah 67)
• As the clergy take communion, the people recite
  the communion prayers.
• I believe that this is truly thine own
  immaculate body, and this is truly thine own
  precious blood.
• (Recalling Peters confession that Christ is
  truly God. Matt. 1616)

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion
4. Then the priest or deacon invites the people
to receive communion. With the fear of God,
with faith and love, draw near. (This is why we
came to church)

• Why do we fear God?
• Without fear (awe, reverence, humility) there
  is no love.
• Proper fear of God, keeps us on the right
  paththe path of righteousness. (Synergy with
  God)
• c. Fear of God reminds us of our destiny.
• Do not fear those who kill the body, fear
  Him who can
• cast you into hell. (Luke 124-5)
• St. Tikhon (18th century) quote
• Without the fear of God and a living faith,
  a godly way
• of life is impossible.

• The people respond by expressing their faith.
• Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
  The Lord is
• God and has revealed Himself unto us. (Psalm
  11826-27))

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion
How do we prepare for Holy Communion?

• 1. Fast from food and drink (if possible) from
  midnight until reception of Holy communion.
• 2. Fast from sin
• a. Prepare yourself to be in a state of
  spiritual warfare.
• b. Confess your sins and forgive your
  brother and be reconciled with each other.
• c. We should not commune without shedding
  tears. (St. Symeon the New Theologian.)
• Remember your baptism
• a. Where we put on the robe of light and
  are made pure.
• b. Every Sunday, our focus should be on
  repentance, humility, and charity.
• (These virtues unite us to Christ and
  are present at our baptism.)
• Approach the chalice, like those who prepared
  themselves for the wedding feast.
• (The parable of the Great Supper, Matt.
  221-14)
• Come to church, prepared, and expecting to
  receive communion. (The medicine of
• Immortality St. Ignatius of Antioch) See
  also John 651-58)
• Examine yourself spiritually before coming to
  church. (See hand-out)

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Holy Communion
Spiritual Self Examination

Do you pray to God in the morning and evening,
before and after meals? During prayer have you
allowed your thoughts to wander? Do you read
the Scriptures daily? Do you read other spiritual
writings regularly? Have you sinned by
forgetting God? Have you been slack in
attending church? Have you kept the fasts?
Have you tried to pay reverent attention to the
readings, hymns, and prayers in church? Are
you ever angry, bad tempered or irritable?
Have you entertained bad feelings, ill will or
hatred against anyone? Have you forgiven those
who have offended you? Have you asked
forgiveness from those whom you have offended?
Are you obstinate, and do you always try to have
your own way? Have you been inconsiderate of
other peoples feelings? Have you been proud?
Do you boast of your abilities, achievements,
family, connections or riches? Have you sinned
in thought, word or deed, by a look or glance, or
in any other way against the seventh commandment?
Have you wasted your time, energy or abilities
in things that do not profit the soul? Do you
care for and seek first the salvation of your
soul, the spiritual life and the kingdom of God,
or have you put earthly considerations in the
first place? Is there any other sin, which
burdens your conscience, or which you are ashamed
to tell?
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The Liturgy of the Faithful Thanksgiving after
Communion
After communion, the priest prays for God
to 1. Accept our Thanksgiving. 2.
Keep the whole day perfect, holy, peaceful and
sinless. 3. Make our path straight. 4.
Strengthen us all in our fear. 5. Guard
our lives. 6. Make our steps firm. 7.
Save us and bless us. 8. Preserve the
fullness of the church 9. Sanctify those
who love the beauty of His house 10. Glorify
us with His divine power 11. Give peace to
the world, to the churches, to the priests, to
the armed services and to
everyone. 12. Fill our hearts with joy and
gladness.

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The Liturgy of the Faithful Thanksgiving after
Communion
The people leave the church, being re-fueled and
giving thanks saying

O Master, Christ our God, King of the ages and
Maker of all things I thank You for all the good
things which You have bestowed upon me, and for
this partaking of Your immaculate and life-giving
Mysteries. Therefore I pray to You, who are good
and loves mankind Keep me under Your protection,
and in the shadow of Your wings and grant to me
with a pure conscience and even unto my last
breath, to partake of Your Holy Mysteries, unto
remission of my sins and unto life everlasting.
For You are the Bread of Life, the Fountain of
holiness, the Giver of good things, and unto You
we ascribe glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit now and ever, and unto
ages of ages. Amen.