www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall favorite Eucharistic quote

The divine Bread of Life was truly baked within thy womb, O Mother of God, and He preserved thy members unharmed, O most immaculate one; therefore we hymn thee as our nourisher unto the ages.

(Theotokian, Ode 8 of the canon before communion as used in the Old Rite)

Dear Friends,

Fr. Mark reminded me of something here.

The Old Rite preparatory prayers for Communion are perhaps the best possible.

Certainly, after praying them, one truly DOES feel prepared, although unworthy, to "Commune of the Crucified" as the last line of the prayers indicates.

Alex

Alex, do you know of a site where i can see the old rite prayers you mention?

Also, the Communion hours with their propers lead into communion beautifully. It is expected that one will have worshipped and prayed the whole liturgical cycle after confession and a week's strict fast before receiving the Holy Gifts. This all makes a good preparation.

Spasi khristos-
Mark, monk and sinner.

Dear David,

Look up Fr. John Whiteford's "Orthodox Liturgical Resources" for this and also the website:

www.churchofthenativity.net [churchofthenativity.net]

God bless,

Alex

"Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God, I thank You, for
even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not
because of my worth but in the kindness of your mercy, You have
fed me with the Precious Body & Blood of Youir Son, our Lord
Jesus Christ. I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me
condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May
it be a helmet of faith and a shiled of good will. May it
purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions.
May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience,
and growth in the power to do good. May it be my strong defense
against all my enemies, visible and visible, and the perfect
calming of all me evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it
unite me more closely to you, the One true God, and lead me
safely through death to everlasting happiness with You. And I
pray that You will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you,
with Your Son and holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total
fulfillment, everlasting joy, galdness without end, and perfect
happiness to your saints. grant this through Christ our Lord,
AMEN."

St. Thomas Aquinas

P.S. Alex, Since our superior has nixed including St. Elias in Brampton on our trip this summer because of SARS , I thought I would try to visit the Church of the Nativity in Erie, PA.

PAX

Dear Benedictine,

Yes, that Church is wonderful and it would give your tour a tremendous insight into Old Russia!

You should teach everyone how to do the Old Believer Sign of the Cross, thumb and last two fingers brought together, index and middle fingers extended, with middle finger slightly bent.

Cool or what?

Alex

I also love Old Believer prayer rule for not preparing for but for post-communion as well. The Canons are beautiful as are the prayers for preparation themselves. The cleansing mystery of Confession before Communion also is a wonderful salve of salvation.

The Jordanville Unnabreviated Horologion also has a very nice order of pre-Communion prayers, Canons and Akathists.

"With fear and trembling let us all approach the divine Mysteries of Christ, and let us receive His holy, holy, Body, and His holy, holy and precious Blood." (From Ode 6 of the Pre-Communion Canon in the Erie Old Believer prayerbook)

"Lord, Jesus Christ,
I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling,
for I am a sinner,
and dare not rely on my own worth,
but only on your goodness and mercy.
I am defiled by many sins in body and soul,
and by my unguarded thoughts and words.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
I seek your protection, I look for your healing;
Poor troubled sinner that I am,
I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.
I cannot bear your judgement,
but I trust in your salvation.
Lord, I show my wounds to you
and uncover my shame before you.
I know my sins are many and great,
and they fill me with fear,
but I hope in your mercies,
for they cannot be numbered.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal King, God and man,
crucified for mankind,
look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,
for I trust in you.
Have mercy on me, full of sorrow and sin,
for the depth of your compassion never ends.
Praise to you, saving sacrifice,
offered on the wood of the cross for me
and for all mankind."

St. Ambrose

"Come taste and see how good the Lord is!"

I love the way that in the Old Rite these words, and the Psalm from which they are taken, coincides with the distribution of the bread and wine from the artoklasia of the vigil vespers. I have to admit to looking forward to this part of the service, particularly the cup of wine .

Spasi Khristos -
Mark, monk and sinner.

Matt 22:11-14

“. . . when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, "My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, "Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Luke 14:8:11

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding party, do not sit in the place of honor in case some greater dignitary has been invited. Then the host might come and say to you, "Make room for this man,' and you would have to proceed shamefacedly to the lowest place. What you should do when you are invited is go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host approaches you he will say, "My friend, come up higher.' . . . For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Prayer
Lord, I have entered the Assembly of the Just, Your wedding feast. I am here among those who have maintained their Baptismal garments without stain. These have multiplied their talents, they have produced much fruit, they await Your word of praise and the reward of ruling over ten cities. And here I am naked and covered with the leprosy of sin, clothed in nothing but my own arrogance. I have soiled, shredded, and destroyed the baptismal garment, which You gave me to cover my soul by my own carelessness and sin. I deserve Your anger and being bound and cast outside. But have mercy on me, Lord. I have come here, remembering that You are He that has said that You desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turn to You again and live. Coat me with your Precious Blood, the only acceptable garment in Your Father's sight and make me whole and holy by this holy coating, one drop of which can take away the sins of the world. Let the whole of creation see by this gift of a new coat to me, that Your compassion cannot be measured, cannot be reasoned, cannot be fathomed, cannot be limited, even when You have mercy on me, the least of all Your creation, and so clothe me for Your wedding feast. On the Day of Your Divine and Terrible Judgment when You come to judge the world and all of us, let this garment be an example to all that the length and breadth and height and depth of Your Compassion and Your Mercy can extend even to me, a sinner, and not thereby be diminished, exhausted, or otherwise compromised. Today, suitably clothed, let me have a place among Your worthy guests and be found worthy of the gift of Your whole Self in the Holy Mysteries. Heal me by Your Holy Gifts and direct my life to You and to Your Kingdom from this point. Let me never forget that this Gift of Yourself together with Your endless compassion and mercy is forever a gift and let me always be grateful for it. Let me go forward, then, fortified with the Gift of You to be Your eyes to seek out, Your ears to listen, Your voice to encourage, Your hands to work, Your arms to embrace, and Your legs to carry me wherever You may need Your Presence to be. Having You absorbed into every fiber of my being, let me be the kind of example You want me to be for Your people. Help me to love You always above everything. Show me Your Kindness and grant me a spirit of true repentance. Keep me close to You always and then do with me what You will. For You alone are our sanctification, O Christ, Our God, and we praise You, together with Your Father, Who is from everlasting, and the all-Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever. AMEN.