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8th in Luke November 12, 2006 As mentioned last Sunday, today's instruction on our Liturgy completes the series, which has lasted for the past 3 months. After the Priest offers the 8 prayers, as mentioned last week, he prepares to partake of the Consecrated Gifts saying: "may God have mercy upon me, a sinner." (3) Taking a small part of the Body of our Lord from the one quarter marked XC , a contraction for "Christ," and placing same in the palm of his crossed cupped hands, he says: "Behold, I approach Christ, our Immortal King and God. The most Precious and most Holy Body of the Lord, and God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, is given to me, the unworthy Priest George, for the forgiveness of sins and Life Eternal!" He then raises his palm and consumes the Body of our Lord. He then raises the Holy Chalice, saying: "The Precious and most Holy Blood of our Lord is given to me, the unworthy Priest George ,for the forgiveness of sins and Life Eternal." Bringing the Holy Chalice to his lips, he drinks from it, and subsequently dabbing his lips and the rim of the Holy Chalice, he again raises it, kisses the rim and says: "This has touched my lips, and will cleanse me of my sins!" He then places in the Holy Chalice only the remaining quarters of the Precious Body saying: "Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only Sinless One. We venerate Your Cross, O Christ, and we praise and glorify Your Holy Resurrection. "We know no other, and we call upon Your Name. Come, all you Faithful, let us bow down to the Holy Resurrection of Christ. For behold, through the Cross, joy has come to all the world. Blessing the Lord for all, we praise His Resurrection; for having endured the Cross, He has by death, destroyed Death." The Priest then turns to the Congregation, holding the Chalice high and says: "With fear of God, with Faith and with Love draw near." Those, who have spiritually prepared themselves to receive the Lord within them, come forth, repeating to themselves: "God, have mercy upon me, a sinner." The Priest administers Holy Communion to the Faithful saying: "The servant of God (name) receives the Body and Blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins and Life Eternal." Those, who would receive, must keep in mind to refrain from any talking, and to bless themselves, before their turn to receive Holy Communion saying: "God, have mercy upon me, a sinner." When their turn comes, they must not forget these most important points: 1) to take the red Communion cloth, and hold it firmly under their chin. This is most necessary, so that if by chance any particle, or drop from the Chalice, it will not fall on the floor, but on the cloth. 2) Tilt their head back and open their mouth widely so the Priest can deposit the Holy Communion, and 3) dab their lips, hand the cloth to the next recipient, bless themselves and return to the pew to read the prayer of thanks on page 55 of the Liturgy book. These 3 points are most necessary to give the proper respect to their participation. When all have received, the Priest covers the Holy Chalice with the red Communion cloth, and raising it, he blesses the Congregation with the sign of the Cross saying: "O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance." The Congregation sings the hymn: "We have seen the true Light, we have received the Heavenly Spirit, we have found the true Faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us." Meanwhile the Priest, firstly takes the triangular part of the Ever-Virgin Mary, and then the nine pieces representing the Angels and Saints, which we prepared in the "Prothesis," or preparation of the Gifts, before the verbal Liturgy. He places them in the Holy Chalice. Then the particles for the living and the deceased are wiped from the Paten with the flat sponge and placed in the Chalice, and repeats 3 times silently: "Be exalted O God above the Heavens, and Your Glory over all the Earth. Blessed is our God", and continuing aloud, he faces the Congregation with the Holy Gifts in hand and says: "Always, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen." The Priest takes the Holy Gifts to the "Prothesis" preparation Table, and returning to the Holy Altar, he proceeds to fold the "Antimension" while praying aloud: "Let us rise. Having duly received the Divine, Holy, Pure, Immortal and Heavenly Mysteries of Christ, worthily let is give thanks unto the Lord. Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us 0 God by Your Grace." "Having prayed for a perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless day, let us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life to Christ our God." The Congregation responds with: "To You O Lord!" The Priest then takes the Gospel Book and making the sign of the Cross over the "Antimension" he prays aloud: "For You are our sanctification, and to You we ascribe Glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen." Turning to the Congregation he says: "Let us go forth in peace. Let us pray to the Lord." The Congregation responds with: "Lord have mercy (s times), holy Father, give the blessing." The Priest walks down the Sanctuary steps facing the Icon of the Lord and prays: "O Lord, Who blesses those, who bless You, and sanctifies those, who put their trust in You, save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Protect the whole Body of Your Church; sanctify those, who love the beauty of Your Temple. Do glorify them in return, by Your Divine Power, and do not forsake us, who set our hope in You." "Grant peace to Your world, to Your Churches, to the Priests, to our rulers, to the armed forces and to all Your people. For every good and perfect Gift is from Above, coming down from You, the Father of Lights; and to You we ascribe glory, and thanksgiving, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen." The Congregation then sings the last hymn of the Liturgy: "Blessed be the Name of the Lord, from this time forth, and forevermore. (3) The Priest re-enters the Sanctuary. and proceeds to the "Prothesis" Table praying silently: "O Christ, our God, Who are the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, Who fulfilled every dispensation of the Father, fill our hearts with joy and gladness, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen." The Priest says: "Let us pray to the Lord." The Congregation responds with "Lord, have mercy." Now comes the Dismissal. The Priest Blesses the Congregation saying: "May the blessing of the Lord and His mercy come upon you through His Divine Grace and love for humankind, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen." "Glory to You O God, our hope, glory to You." The Priest bowing to the Icon of Christ says: "May Christ, our true God, Who rose from the dead have mercy on us, and bowing toward the Icon of the Holy Mother says: "through the intercessions of His most pure and Holy Mother, through the precious and Lifegiving Cross; the protection of the sublime powers in Heaven; the supplications of the precious, glorious Prophet and Forerunner John the Baptist; of the holy, glorious and most honored Apostles; of the holy, glorious and victorious Martyrs; of our saintly and Godinspired Fathers; of the holy and righteous Ancestors Joachim and Anna, (also the saints of the day) whom we commemorate, and of all the Saints, and may Christ have mercy and save us, as a gracious, loving and merciful God. During this Dismissal, although we do not sing it, the Congregation sings: "Protect 0 Lord for many years, him, who blesses us and brings us Your Grace." We shall include this when we further get organized. The closing prayer is offered as follows: "Through the prayers of the Holy Fathers. 0 Lord, Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us." The Congregation completes this with the "Amen." The Priest gives the final blessing: "May the Holy Trinity bless you and protect you always. Amen." The Priest then blesses each one individually, by giving the Antidoron, (which we have explained) saying to each one: "May the blessing of the Lord and His mercy come upon you." Thus, ending this series, explaining the meaning of the Divine Liturgy, we must remember, that our Liturgy is the complete life of our Lord, Who suffered upon the Cross to bring salvation to every human. Our Holy Orthodox Church continues the tradition instituted by the Lord Himself, that we be true, and continue the mandate He gave at the Last Supper, at which He gave the bread and wine to His Disciples saying: "This is my Body, and this is my Blood" - "do this in remembrance of Met" This was His prescription for humankind to be forever bonded with Him. Amen. + Fr. George Papadeas
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