The Divine Liturgy (Vol IV, Ch 3, pp.174-195)

From Michael Ruse:

This section will cover the parts of the Liturgy: the Prayer of Intercession, the Preparation for Communion and Communion. With the small exceptions of a trinitarian formula added to the end of the doxology and communing with a spoon, Orthodox Christians have kept ancient Church tradition trustworthily alive. That includes the eucharistic formula we hear “the holy things are for the holy,” a deep reverence and lively preparation for receiving the eucharist, communing always with both bread and wine together, communing infants and children, and the meaning of communion as becoming one with Christ. An implication could be drawn that only humans can be thankful for such a communion with the body and blood of Christ. 

 It is reassuring to read that Church Fathers also thought about the idea of the worthiness of people who approach the holy mysteries of the Church. From the liturgy itself, Metropolitan Hilarion shows us that all the saints, all the faithful, all the baptized in preparation, all ages, all people from different walks in life are called to holiness and called worthy by Christ. Nothing seems more inclusive and more representative in life-giving terms of the very heart of the Orthodox tradition than these parts of the divine liturgy. So, don’t miss out on this liturgical presentation this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. 

The Divine Liturgy (Vol IV, Ch 3, pp.155-174)

From Michael Ruse:

John Bell will present the next part on the Divine Liturgy. Previously we covered the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Now we will read about the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, the longer of the two liturgies. 

 There are two major topics: the Eucharistic Canon in the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great and the Change of the Holy Gifts. The prayers of the eucharistic canon are one of the main texts we study, and we start from the ancient belief of the Church that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. 

 We find in the prayers the Trinity’s good will toward us and the many helpful actions done for us such as the giving of the Law, the prophets, holy men and women, and finally Christ himself. All of human history seems encapsulated for us in an offering prayer. We find the names of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We find mercy and salvation. God who is outside of time and “without beginning” comes to us in time during the liturgy. Naturally, theologians begin to ask when that change happens exactly. Metropolitan Hilarion describes the evolution of that kind of thinking through Western and Eastern theologians like Thomas Aquinas, St. John of Damascus, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Nicholas of Cabasilas. In the East, the teaching is that the change happens after the epiclesis, and eastern theologians have taught that trying to find an exact explanation is futile. We should be content to live in the mystery. 

A key point is that no matter which liturgy that is being celebrated today (Roman, the Apostle Mark, St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, the Apostle James, St. Gregory the Enlightener of Armenia), they all pray for the change of the holy gifts into the body and blood of Christ. Join us all this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and taste some of the goodness of God in the study of the liturgical prayers of St. Basil the Great.

The Divine Liturgy (Vol IV, Ch 3, pp.146-155)

From Michel Ruse:

Michael Ruse will present pp.146-155 in Chapter 3. This section on The Divine Liturgy focuses on the anaphora, also called the eucharistic canon, of St. John Chrysostom of Constantinople. 

The eucharistic canon includes prayers of thanksgiving, the remembrance of the Las Supper and the words of institution, the invocation of the Holy Spirit and the consecration of the holy gifts, and the commemoration of the saints and the prayer for the Church. 

Metropolitan Hilarion offers several points for his readers. The anaphora’s prayers are important to hear, to read and to understand why we come to the divine liturgy and do a “common work.” After reading and understanding the anaphora’s content, we can start to see the liturgy as our highest calling. We can recognize that “when we offer, we are ourselves part of that which we offer” as Metropolitan Kallistos explains mankind’s eucharistic vocation. Join us all this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. to find the meaning of thanksgiving, offering, and how all creation and humanity give back to God