Approaching the Awesome Eucharist, part 1!

Last week I mentioned our tradition of being properly prepared for communion: arriving at least before the Epistle and Gospel reading, keeping the fasts of the Church to the best of your ability, and praying the pre-communion prayers before coming.

As a result, a few people asked me some very good questions afterwards.

Thank you for asking questions! Not only does it give me an opportunity to explain further, but also it gives me material for a sermon!

THE QUESTIONS

The questions that were asked fell into three different categories:

• A question of power
• A question of legalism
• A question of judgment

Let me quickly explain each one.

The question of power wonders if the priest is acting as an authoritarian figure – perhaps he’s someone who is obsessed with power or control?

The question of legalism wonders if we are ignoring faith and merely doing actions without thought, or if we are fixating on works?

And, finally, the question of judgment wonders if the priest or others are judging whether we are worthy of communion?

These are all very good and appropriate questions.

THE EUCHARIST IS THE REAL PRESENCE OF CHRIST

For us, as Orthodox Christians, the Eucharist is the highlight of our religious experience.

It’s union with Christ, and the most intimate experience we can have.

We truly believe it is the body and blood of Christ – his real presence. During the Last Supper he said,

Concerning the bread, “Take, eat; this is my body,” and concerning the blood he said, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28 RSV)

Notice he does not say, this is like my body and blood, nor does he says this is a symbol of my body and blood

No. He says this is my body and blood.

EUCHARIST IS GREAT AND AWESOME

And when we partake of the Eucharist, it is a great and awesome thing!

St. Paul writes,

“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30 KJV)

But despite Scripture’s stern warning, we are called still to draw near in the faith of God, and in fear, that is proper reverence for the Divine Gifts. (The addition of the word “love” is a very recent addition.)

The third pre-communion prayer of St. John Chrysostom says communion has great power when we do so:

“…count me worthy to partake uncondemned of your immaculate, immortal, life-giving and dread Mysteries for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life; for sanctification, enlightenment, strength, healing, and health of soul and body; the wiping out and complete disappearance of my wicked thoughts, and desires, and purposes, and night-time apparitions of the dark and wicked spirits.”

In short, communion truly is life-giving.

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;’” (John 6:53 RSV)

IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS DELICATE BALANCE THAT THE CHURCH HELPS US PREPARE.

It is because communion is so great and awesome, and because it can either burn us up or give us life, the Church helps us properly prepare.

So with all this in mind, we shall return to the questions posed earlier.

THE THREE QUESTIONS

…to be continued in the next post (click here to read)! Stay tuned! Same bat channel, same bat time! 🙂