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Catechetical talk, Ocala, 1/23/2005 Today, I will divert from a sermon on the Gospel reading as is customary. Today's talk is instructional, and hopefully, it will give us a better insight, and a greater appreciation of the religious Masterpiece we have come to know as the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy, which has been celebrated in all the Eastern Orthodox Churches for about 1600 years. Sometime we may hear that the Orthodox Church is highly Liturgical and does not teach the Bible. To this, there is the simple answer that all our Rituals and especially the Divine Liturgy, the center and crowning point of our Faith. However, how can we have the proper appreciation, when we do not know the vital points of our Divine Liturgy. For this reason I thought it a good idea to explain the key points of the Liturgy. Let's keep in mind, that our Liturgy has three main parts. The first is the Office of the Oblation, which means the preparation for offering our gifts to the Lord. This Office of the Oblation takes place in the left hand side of the Holy Altar area. It is also known as "Proskomide" or "Prothesis" Everything seen in our Church is based on the Bible. The Oblation table is reminiscent of the Birthplace of our Lord. That is why an Icon of the Nativity is standard at the Oblation table. Before the Divine Liturgy, the Priest fully vested proceeds to the Oblation table. Before him are all the elements, which will be used during the Divine Liturgy. These are: the "'Pros foron", (oblation bread), the Lance used to carve from the stamped insignia on the Prosforon, the Chalice and the Paten (dish), the cruets containing wine and water, the Asterisk, and the veils, to be used in covering the Chalice and Paten. Raising the Prosforon with the Lance he repeats three times "In commemoration of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, always, now and ever and to the ages of ages." Then placing the Prosforon on the table, the Priest using the Lance, which signifies the spear, with which our Lord was pierced on His side, carves out the center of the bread which clearly shows the Greek wording: "Jesus Christ conquers." Removing this center square, the Priest repeats to Prophecy of Isaiah, 800 years before Christ (chapter 53:7-8) "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb before the shearer He is voiceless. He opens not His mouth. In his humiliation, justice was denied Him. Who shall declare His generation? For His life is raised from the earth." The Priest places this square, the "Amnos" in the center of the Paten. This square and only this will be transubstantiated (changed) into the very Body of Christ during the "Seh Eem-noo-men......" when we all kneel. Taking the Amnos, the Priest inverts it and proceeds and carves it crosswise, without cutting through, repeating the words from St. John's Gospel (John 1:29,1 John 2:2) "Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, Who takes away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and for its salvation." As a reminder of the soldier, who pierced the Lord's side, the Priests thrusts the Lance into the face of the square repeating the very words as they are written in St. John's Gospel, (John 19:34-35) "And one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he who saw it (St. John) bore witness, and his witness is true." While repeating the historical account of St. John the Priest pours the wine and the water into the Holy Chalice, which he blesses saying: "Blessed is the union of the Holy, now and ever and to the ages of ages." Now, we're going to set aside honored positions, for those people, who were directly related to the Lord as well as those. who lived in the Prophetical years, centuries before Christ, as well as those, who came after Him. Firstly the Priest carves a triangular piece in honor of the Panagia, the Holy Mother. This triangle is immediately to the left of the Amnos. While removing the piece in honor of the Panagia, the Priest recites verse 9 from the 45th Psalm, as follows: "On Thy right hand stood the Queen, arrayed in gold, inwrought with many colors." From the right next to the center, when the Amnos was carved out, the Priest carves out 9 small triangles and places them to the right of the Amnos on the Paten. These represent those who gave their all for the Lord. 1. The Archangels and the Bodiless powers in Heaven. 2. St. John the Baptist and the Prophets of old. 3. The Holy Apostles, the 12 and the 70 and all the Holy Apostles. 4. The Holy Fathers of the Church and the Prelates. 5. The 1st Martyr, St. Stephen, the Great Holy Martyrs and Martyrs. 6. The ascetics, who completely devoted their life to the Lord. 7. The wonder-working and unmercenary Doctors (Anargyroi). 8. The God-bearing Fathers Sts. Joachim and Anna. 9. St. John the Chrysostom (Golden-mouthed), whose Liturgy we celebrate. During the year we celebrate about 10 times, the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great Liturgy, at which time we commemorate him. Then carving small pieces from the bread, the Priest prays for: 1. The Orthodox Patriarchs, Bishops and and Rulers. 2. The list of names of the living submitted by the Faithful. Continuing he carves small pieces 1. For the departed Clergy and Rulers. 2. For the list of names of the deceased submitted by the Faithful. Lastly he carves a small piece for himself. The Priest then censes the offered gifts saying: "To You, O Lord, we offer incense as a scent of spiritual fragrance; we pray that it will be accepted on the Heavenly Altar, and to send down upon us in return, the Grace of the Holy Spirit." The Priest then takes the asterisk, symbolizing the Star over the manger of Bethlehem. He places it on the Paten, so that it becomes a protective shield over all the pieces of Bread on the Paten. While he places the Asterisk on the Paten, he repeats St. Matthew's words (Matthew 2:9) "And the star came and stood over the place where the young Child was." There are 3 veils we use. The two are small covering the Chalice and the Paten, and the large one, which covers over the both of them. Placing the veil over th Paten with the protective asterisk, the Priest quotes the 1st verse from the 93rd Psalm: "The Lord has reigned; He has clothed Himself with majesty; the Lord has clothed Himself with might, and has girded Himself." Placing the veil over the Chalice he says: "Your virtue has covered the Heavens, O Christ, and the earth is full of Your praises." Taking the large veil, which is called "Aera" (wind) he covers both, the Paten and the Chalice, saying in prayer: "Shelter us in the shelter of Your wings; drive away from us every enemy and foe; make our life peaceful; O Lord, have mercy on us and on Your world, and save our souls, for You are Good, and You love humankind." The Priest continues in prayer: "Blessed is our God, Who has thus willed, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Let us pray to the Lord for this Holy Oblation. Lord, have mercy." The PROTHESIS Prayer "O God, our God, Who has sent the Heavenly Bread, the Food of the whole world, our Lord and God Jesus Christ as our Saviour, Redeemer and Benefactor to bless and sanctify us, bless this Offering and accept it on Your Heavenly Altar Remember those who have offered it, an those for whom it is offered, as You are good and Who loves humankind, and keep us uncondemned in the celebration of Your Divine Mysteries; For sanctified and glorified is Your most honourable and majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen." CLOSING PRAYER OF THE PROTHESIS "Glory to You, O Christ our God and our hope, Glory to You. May He Who was born in a cave, and placed in a Manger for our Salvation, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His All-immaculate and All-blameless Mother, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for as much as He is good and loves humankind." "Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord, Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen." It would be well for all of us when we receive this week's Bulletin, to read and meditate on this instructional talk, so as to have a greater appreciation of the endless wealth of our Holy Orthodox Church. Back to sermons |
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