FOUNTAIN OF IMMORTALITY - Meditation on the Orthodox Divine Liturgy

[Music] [Music] in the Orthodox Church it is believed that the very first celebration of the mystery of the Divine Liturgy was by our Lord Jesus Christ during the last or mystical supper it was then that he uttered these words take eat this is my body which is given for you do this in remembrance of me drink of it all of you for this is my blood of the New Testament which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins from that very moment Christians have celebrated this divine mystery have remembered and communed with Christ ever since by the grace of the Holy Spirit many great Fathers and saints of the Orthodox Church have experienced divine revelations during the service it is the goal of this presentation to guide participants of the Divine Liturgy to a fuller and deeper understanding of the profound grace that the fathers have experienced in the service [Music] it is now time for the priest and deacon to prepare themselves for the sacred mysteries one of the greatest requirements for clergy to celebrate a divine services is that of love it is important to note that although these are the first prayers set by the priests in church there was also preparation the previous night before the priest even comes to this point he also fast and keeps vigil throughout the night saying prayers to ready his soul for the great offering it is required by every Christian who approaches the holy gifts to make a similar preparation readying oneself for Christ's release now enters the altar now to put on his vestments in preparation over the liturgy by wearing the priestly vestments he reminds all that although he comes from this world he does not belong to this world alone he stands between man and God a bridge by which our prayers rise up to the Most High the gifts of God come down the most important vestment to the priesthood is his epic rocky Leone's or his priestly stone this symbolizes the grace of the priesthood and of the participation in the priesthood of Christ st. simeon of thessaloniki teaches that it is used at every right he performs because it symbolizes the performative grace of the holy spirit [Music] the priest now washes his hands because the hands are a symbol of every action by washing them we suggest that all our actions are pure and blameless st. Germanos when the priest approaches the prothesis table it is as if he were approaching Bethlehem the cave in which Christ was born this is why it is common to see an icon of the Nativity and is a prophecy stable Bethlehem was the place where God first appeared in the flesh and this is why Christ's first liturgical appearance is here saint simeon of thessaloniki st. john chrysostom talks about the symbolism of the bread based on saint paul who says because there is one bread we who are many are one body st. John asks what is the bread he answers the body of Christ not several bodies but one body just as the bread while it is made up of many grains is one bread so that the grains are nowhere apparent even though they are there in the same way we are united with each other and with Christ Jesus Christ the prayers read like a sheep he was led to slaughter to the slaughter and as a blameless lamb before his Shearer is down Monsieur so he opened not his mouth in his loneliness his judgment was taken away one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side and forthwith came there out blood and water he that sought their record and his record is true the priest then takes a large particle out remembering the mother of God the priest then takes out particles for the nine ranks of saints the first being in honor of John the forerunner then the prophets apostles hierarchs martyrs venerable ones of mercenaries then the ancestors of God Jokke and Anna the temple Saint and the saint of the day as one piece and finally the third and last in honor of the composer of the liturgy the next part of this service the priest remembers all of the living and dead souls by name when the dead are remembered st. nicholas casillas teaches the souls of the departed receive remission of sins through the prayers of the priests and by the grace of the precious gifts which have been sanctified at the completion of all of the commemorations the Assembly of God which is the son assembled together through himself is now all present thus we are all one st. Simeon Thessaloniki the service of separation has now come to a close as the priest covers the gifts to protect them from harm every gifts are cared for the Deacons senses the altar and then the entire church st. Simeon of Thessaloniki recalls the teaching of Satan easiest but the altar is to be sensed first indicating to the faithful that God's grace and gifts come from the altar this also indicates the grace gift in fragrance of all these just poured out upon the word from heaven who Jesus Christ in which through Christ has ascended again to heaven the priest lifting up the gospel book makes the sign of the Cross of the altar the claims [Music] by this first petition the deacon proclaims of the faithful should begin their prayer for most with peace the more the heart ceases to be disturbed by recollections of external things the more the intellect is astounded by understanding divine meanings st. Isaac the Syrian [Music] here we pray for our beloved hierarchs for a part of an unbroken chain leading to the very first celebration of the Eucharist when Christ himself instituted this mystery we have great power and when we are gathered together for prayer st. John Chrysostom reminds us someone from the congregation commanded you to pray privately for the salvation of the bishop every one of you would shrink from it believing the burden to be beyond your powers but when all of you together hear the Deacon directing you and saying let us pray for the bishop you do not shrink from carrying out his commission but zealously rise your prayer because you know the power of your gathering as the deacon continues the petition the faithful respond to each one with a cry lord have mercy this is said after each petition because it implies both gratitude and confession begging for God's mercy is also asking for his kingdom which Christ promised to give to those who seek it st. nicholas Cabasa vos [Music] to the father into the slot into the Holy Spirit to the ages of Ages [Music] of conclusion of the great litany the faithful now sing a series of Psalms which st. John Chrysostom teaches us great benefit and abundant sanctification are to be gained from spiritual solidi and it can become the foundation for the whole of spiritual life for the words of the hymns purify the soul the Holy Spirit enters immediately into the soul that sings them [Music] in the Orthodox Church we do not use musical instruments in worship rather we become instruments of Prayer singing to our Lord in some cases the faithful sing these hymns and tiffin Li meaning they are sung ultimately by two choirs this was first introduced by st. Ignatius the God bear when he had a vision seen two choirs of angels singing antiphonal II to the Holy Trinity this practice however is not standard in most parishes today [Music] the priest then takes the gospel book and hands it to the deacon and begins to process to the front of the Royal doors the clergy are led out by a candle which represents Saint John the forerunner who prepared the way for Christ's word the entrance signifies the coming of the Son of God into the world [Music] [Music] [Music] after the gospel has been introduced we hear the singing of the hymns to the Saints of the day and then they hymn of the thrice holy which glorifies the Holy Trinity [Music] st. Germanos teaches us at the thrice holy hymn the song three times because the threefold appellation of the holy applies to each of the three persons of the one Godhead each of them is holy and mighty anymore [Music] [Laughter] [Music] at this point in the service we hear the introduction to the epistle lesson call the Protima novel which is a sombre that pertains to the Epistle reading to follow it symbolizes the revelation of divine mysteries by the prophets the foretelling of the coming of Christ [Music] Alleluia praise the Lord as the people rejoice with excitement to hear the proclamation of the Holy gospel [Music] before the coming of the Lord it was not possible for man to be joyful because Christ alone brought us joy said he one was joyful before he came to earth they were joyful because they had been admitted to the mysteries concerning him Christ said of the patriarch Abraham Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day he saw it and was glad Christ is the exultation that arises in our the bring us good tidings unto the fulfillment of the gospel of his beloved son our Lord Jesus where's the a'right let us hear the holy gospel of peace br-2 [Music] during the little entrance one could see how the gospel book was covering the Deacons face to symbolically show that it was Christ's face of the deacon leans his mouth unto the gospel so that the faithful may hear Christ's voice at the end of the Gospel reading the priest descends from the high place st. Maximus the Confessor teaches that it signifies the end of the world for after the reading of the Holy gospel Bishop descends from the throne the celebrants dismiss and send away of the catechumens and those unworthy of divine contemplation of the mysteries which are about to be presented reading then manifests that which is written but the gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world then the end will come Matthew 24:14 [Music] the choir now reminds the faithful who mystically represent the cherubim and who sing the thrice holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity must now lay aside all earthly cares [Music] st. John Chrysostom reminds us that the soul that has not learned to despise the petty concerns of everyday life will not be able to marvel the things of heaven let no one enter the church bringing with him the cares distractions or fears of everyday life let us all enter having first left all these things outside at the door of the church for we are entering a heavenly house we are walking in the places that radiate light [Music] after the priest purifies himself through repentance and asks forgiveness of the faithful he then processes with the holy gifts this transfer of the precious gifts from the table of oblation to the altar signifies the lord's entry into Jerusalem from Bethany the celebrant becomes the cult upon which no passion has ever sat and is therefore accounted worthy to carry the King of glory placing of the gifts on the altar the closing of the Royal doors of the final actions of the great entrance when the priest places the gifts down this represents the hands of saints Joseph and Nicodemus performed Christ's burial Saint Romanus [Music] [Music] with his proclamation from the deacon the faith will now enter into the most sacred part of the divine liturgy the holy Inara [Music] the terrible mysteries which are celebrated at every Assembly of the faithful and which afford above and salvation are called the Eucharist literally Thanksgiving because they are the recollection of many benefactions they show us the combination of divine providence and in every way they prepare us to give thanks to God [Music] at the time when the sacrifice is being made priest exhorts us to give thanks to God for the whole world for the past to the present for all that has taken place and for all that will take place in the future this Thanksgiving of ours liberate sus from Earth and transports us to heaven transforms us from humans into angels [Music] this hymn is a combination of the hymn that the prophet Isaiah heard when he received his calling as a prophet and when the people received Christ in the holy city of Jerusalem it is the bringing together the hymns of angels and men to glorify God then all the nations and peoples from all ages will fall down before him and without objection we'll offer worship there will be one wonderful symphony of praise the Saints will sing hymns as they have always done while the umpires will or necessity makes supplication then indeed the triumphal hymn will be sung by all with one voice by the victors and by the bank [Music] this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed from you and for many for the remission believe that even now this is the supper at which Christ was present in no way is that supper different from this mystery for his he that offers both the one and the other he who performed the mystery at the Last Supper he is who now accomplishes the mystery at the divine liturgy this holy table is the same table as that of the Last Supper it is nothing less st. John Chrysostom [Music] the priest then calls down the Holy Spirit to change our offering of bread and wine to the body and blood of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ this mystery is a work of the descent of the Holy Spirit because he did not descend once and only to then abandon us but he is and will be with us forever it is he that performs the mysteries through the hand and the tongue of the priests [Music] with burning desire let us cross our hands one upon the other and receive into them the body of the crucified one after touching it with our eyes our lips our foreheads let us partake of the divine Kohl thus the fire of our love will be ignited by the divine Kohl and burned up our sins and inhuman our hearts through participation in the divine fire we shall catch on fire and be deified st. John Damascus when you are about to draw near to this divine and terrible table in this sacred mist Archie you should draw near with fear and trembling with a pure conscience with fasting and prayer and without making any noise tell me man why are you agitated why are you in a hurry are you under pressure from the need to get on with your work at that moment can it even cross your mind that you have work to do is it not the sign of a heart of stone that at the moment you think you are standing on earth rather than being a part of a choir of angels st. John Chrysostom as one can see the Divine Liturgy holds a very high place in the heart of the Orthodox Christian with all of its beauty and splendor it elevates the soul from the world to the heavenly realm with a fuller understanding of the Divine Liturgy one can focus more carefully the magnitude of the service although the beauty of these commentaries moves the soul nothing can replace the personal experience the grace and love of Jesus Christ amen [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

Channel: Eastern American Diocese ROCOR

Views: 94,317

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Keywords: Divine Liturgy, Orthodoxy, Orthodox worship, Russian Orthodox Church, God, Christianity, Jesus Christ, Holy Communion, ROCOR, Eadiocese, Holy Fathers, St. Germanus, St. John Chrysostom, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Nicholas Cabasilas, St. Basil the Great

Id: hm2qSeiTCfI

Length: 32min 48sec (1968 seconds)

Published: Thu May 29 2014