My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
WHAT IS THE DIVINE EUCHARIST?
The Divine Eucharist IS THE GREATEST GIFT OF GOD TO MAN ON EARTH. Saint Ignatius of Antioch the God-bearer (A.D. 117) simply calls it "the Gift of God." Because this "gift" is Christ: "Receive, eat: this is My Body; drink of This: this is My Blood." The Divine Liturgy is invaluable, because IN IT WE COMMUNE GOD, Who is "the life of the world" [John 6:51). As Saint of Kronstadt (+ 1908) says, "If one were to put all of the world's most precious things on one side of a scale, and the Divine Liturgy on the other, the scales would tip completely in favor of the Liturgy." Elsewhere the same Saint says, "There is nothing; upon earth holier, higher, grander, more solemn, more life-giving than the Liturgy. The temple, at this particular time, BECOMES AN EARTHLY HEAVEN; THOSE WHO OFFICIATE REPRESENT CHRIST HIMSELF, THE ANGELS, THE CHERUBIM, SERAPHIM, AND APOSTLES."
We can look at the Divine Eucharist is the following eight ways, which are different aspects and interconnected within the Church's living experience, so that we can view them as eight aspects or themes of the same reality experienced during the celebration of the Divine Eucharist.
1) The Divine Eucharist consists of THE REAL, "LIVING PRESENCE OF GOD WITH His People in Christ and the Holy Spirit." In the Divine Eucharist WE TRULY HAVE PRESENT Emmanuel, God with us" (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). The Lord keeps His promise to His disciples, "Behold, I am with you always" (Matthew 28:20), especially with His PRESENCE IN THE DIVINE EUCHARIST. In the Divine Eucharist we have CHRIST PRESENT NOT SYMBOLICALLY OR FIGURATIVELY, BUT TRULY AND ACTUALLY. We believe that AFTER THE CONSECRATION OF THE BREAD AND WINE THE LORD IS PRESENT IN HIS GLORIFIED AND DEIFYING HUMANITY AND IN HIS DIVINITY. The Eucharistic Christ is the same Christ Who was born in Bethlehem, was heard, seen, and touched by His disciples (1 John 1:1), died on the Cross, rose from the dea, and sits in glory at the right hand of God the Father. The CONSECRATED WINE IS THE SAME BLOOD THAT WAS POURED OUT ON THE CROSS. THIS CHANGE IS REAL AND OBJECTIVE REGARDLESS OF ONE'S BELIEFS.
2) The Divine Eucharist IS A MEMORIAL OF GOD'S AGAPE (LOVE) FOR US. It is A MEMORIAL OF CHRISTS LOVE FOR THE HUMAN BEING. Out of His Great Love for us He made His Sacrifice on the Cross a PERENNIAL MEMORIAL. The Divine Eucharist is also a memorial of the love of GOD THE FATHER WHO "so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3;16). THE HOLY SPIRIT is not uninvolved in the plan of our salvation. "CHRIST, THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT, OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT BLEMISH TO GOD" (Hebrews 9:14). The same Holy Spirit SANCTIFIES THE GIFTS AND THOSE WHO OFFER THEM. Thus we can say that the Divine Eucharist IS A MEMORIAL OF THE WORKS OF LOVE OF THE TRIUNE GOD AND OF HIS FORGIVENESS OF THE SINS OF THE HUMAN BEINGS.'
3). The Divine Eucharist is our THANKSGIVING TO THE FATHER. When the Lord INSTITUTED THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF THE DIVINE EUCHARIST "HE OFFERED THANKS" (Luke 22:17, 19) TO GOD THE FATHER. This is why this service is called EUCHARIST (Gk. EFCHARISTIA), which means THANKSGIVING. We too, whenever we celebrate the Divine Liturgy, thank God, the Holy Trinity, with all our heart for His plan of salvation and for all the benefits bestowed upon us. WE especially thank God for life everlasting granted to us in His Heavenly Kingdom, A LIFE WE EXPECT IN EAGER ANTICIPATION.
4). The Divine Eucharist constitutes A MEMORIAL OF THE MYSTICAL (LAST) SUPPER INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. "Do this in remembrance of Me, said the Lord (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24). In doing this, we remember His Death and all the saving acts of His life, especially His Cross, Resurrection, Ascension to heaven, seating in glory at the right hand of the Father, and His Coming again in glory at the CONSUMMATION OF THE AGES. Perhaps we can express MEMORIAL as an actual LIVING EXPERIENCE in our lives of he salvific events of Christ's life. When we "REMEMBERS" Christ, WE EXPERIENCE HIS PRESENCE AMONG US AND WITHIN US. Furthermore, the Eucharistic Supper is as much a REMEMBRANCE of Him, as a reminder to Him to be with us, and to "REMEMBER US IN HIS KINGDOM." [Resources: The Heavenly Banquet]
(To be continued)
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +
With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Descent,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 