With these profound words we draw near to
participate in the Body and Blood of our most precious Lord. A gift above all gifts—a sacrament above all
Sacraments. So precious is His Body and
Blood, the Lord instructs us that unless we eat his flesh and drink His Blood
we have no life in us (John6:53-55).
Yes, No Life without this great Mystery.
If we are to encounter our God and Saviour in such
an intimate fashion, one should wonder what one must do in order to prepare and
receive HIM in a manner that brings blessing and life. For St. Paul warns us to commune in a worthy
manner: "Let a man examine
himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who
eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not
discerning the Lord's body" (Cor. 11:28-29).
And here is the crux of our collective
misunderstanding of what one must do to properly prepare for the single most
important event in our lives. I would
like to take this opportunity to outline some general principles and way of
life that should cause us to reflect on the state of our preparedness to
receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
This is a beginning of a discussion and not an all in all explanation…We
will indeed spend the rest of eternity basking in the mystery of Communion with
our God.
- “With the fear of God”--- we now begin to dissect the invitation for Communion. A holy fear, respect, or awe for our heavenly Father should be a way of life, a way of thinking, a position of our heart. Fearing God is Loving God and all He is and His creation. It’s about abiding by His principles and ways, not the principles of a pagan society in which we find ourselves in. It’s a life style that one sees all decisions and relations through the eyes of Jesus---He is our center of gravity and reference point to what we think, do, and behave. As St Paul instructs us “ And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”(Romans 12:2)The Lord of Lords and King of Kings is the mightiest driving force in our work, family, social life, and life trajectory. His ways are my ways and my ways are His ways—that is practically applying the Lord’s prayer in every dimension and aspect of our life---“Thy will be done”; for me, my family, my life. The Lord, His ways and His laws are the guiding light and beginning and end of our hearts’ desire ---He indeed is the Alpha and Omega of our Life. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”(Rev 1:8). Without striving to live a life in Holy Fear and Awe of the Almighty, we should not approach for Communion.
- “And Faith”---faith a word so often misused and misunderstood. Whose faith are we talking about; our fractured and imperfect faith? The faith of Jesus? The faith of His Body the Church? The reality is that we oftentimes create a faith or a set of beliefs that is very convenient for ourselves, yet is misaligned with the faith of Jesus and His Body the Church. One must take the time to discover and align what we think we believe against what our Lord and His body (The Holy Church) actually believes and instructs us. Mankind, left on his own, often takes the path of least resistance and confuses what we want to believe vs. what the TRUTH actually is. Developing this TRUE FAITH, does in fact require time and energy: the study of scripture, participation in faith study fellowship opportunities, attending lectures/retreats and of course paying attention and participating fully in all Liturgical/Sacramental opportunities (ie. Vespers, matins, Liturgies). This is the Sacramental life style that the Church calls us to and the means for spiritual growth and transformation. Without striving for the Pure Faith of the CHURCH, we should not approach for Communion.
- “And Love”---God is Love, the very basic definition of who God is. And if communion with God is in fact Unity with the Living and Almighty LOVE Himself, then it would seem relevant that we, in this union, slowly but surely become what HE is---and that is Love. One must examine himself/herself, that after years and decades of receiving the Eucharist—Love in Bodily form---whether in fact we are becoming LOVE as well. Love for Holiness, for ourselves, for our family, for our neighbor, for all creation. How do we define this most wonderful Love of God, a sacrificial love by nature---Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.(John15:13). Are we living for others, considering their wellbeing before our very own, going out on a limb for our brethren, spending time for and with others? This is Godly Love. A love where jealousy, pride, ego, envy, and resentment cannot exist and has no place. A love that makes life worth living. A Love that transforms us into the new creation in the image of Jesus. This is the Love that we are to become in the participation of the Eucharist; and if we are not, we must pause and self-examine ourselves: have I been kind, genuine, forgiving, honest, and the list goes on. This is where the sacrament of Confession comes into play, to make sure we are not deceiving ourselves or being deceived that somehow we are “OK” when in fact we are not. Without striving for this true Godly Love, we should not approach for Communion.
We have now begun a conversation on the mindset in
which we approach the Holy Things; for the Liturgy reminds us that “The Holy Things are for the Holy People”. Please take the time to read and reflect
on the above; there will sure to be more coming in the coming weeks and
months. Talk it over with your brethren
after Liturgy during coffee hour. If
there are any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free and welcomed
to speak to your priest privately or in a group. We are all on this Holy Path of Salvation
together; we need one another to navigate this Holy and Life Giving Journey.
Asking for your prayers, and assuring you of mine,
Your servant in Christ Jesus,
Father
Spyridon
