Archimandrite Sophrony, about the Divine Liturgy:
We said that the Liturgy is the fulfilment of the commandments of the Lord: "This do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:18, 1 Corinthians 11:24). When we come to celebrate the Liturgy, because we are fulfilling the commandment, the mystery of the Cross is at work, and we receive grace. When we remember in this way, when we have anamnesis of all the benefits of God, whether manifest or hid, whereof we know or we know not, when we remember all His benefits, this sense of gratitude again softens the heart and brings grace. Through this grace we enter into eternity, this grace is eternity, and through this grace we become contemporaries of those events, and able to say "today" at every feast. So this sacred anamnesis, the thanksgiving, the fulfillment of the commandment and the performance of the Liturgy, bring grace to our life. However, we need a certain inspiration in order to maintain this grace, and we derive this inspiration by placing ourselves in an eschatologic perspective, in the Way of Him who has come and is coming again (Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17). We human beings very easily get used to everything, even to the Liturgy and the Holy Communion. But there is one event which we can not get used to, which is the Second Coming of our Lord, because it has not yet happened; and when we have that in mind we can maintain the necessary inspiration. We receive Holy Community in the Liturgy, and we say:"Lord, thou hast accounted me worthy today, but cast me not away from Thy sight in the great and notably day when You will come again". And so, "Yes, maybe I have deceived you today receiving Communion, but how shall I then? Please accept me also in the day of Thy Second Coming". Having this conscience, we can maintain our inspiration, and the Liturgy can always be fresh.
We said that the Liturgy is the fulfilment of the commandments of the Lord: "This do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:18, 1 Corinthians 11:24). When we come to celebrate the Liturgy, because we are fulfilling the commandment, the mystery of the Cross is at work, and we receive grace. When we remember in this way, when we have anamnesis of all the benefits of God, whether manifest or hid, whereof we know or we know not, when we remember all His benefits, this sense of gratitude again softens the heart and brings grace. Through this grace we enter into eternity, this grace is eternity, and through this grace we become contemporaries of those events, and able to say "today" at every feast. So this sacred anamnesis, the thanksgiving, the fulfillment of the commandment and the performance of the Liturgy, bring grace to our life. However, we need a certain inspiration in order to maintain this grace, and we derive this inspiration by placing ourselves in an eschatologic perspective, in the Way of Him who has come and is coming again (Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8; 11:17). We human beings very easily get used to everything, even to the Liturgy and the Holy Communion. But there is one event which we can not get used to, which is the Second Coming of our Lord, because it has not yet happened; and when we have that in mind we can maintain the necessary inspiration. We receive Holy Community in the Liturgy, and we say:"Lord, thou hast accounted me worthy today, but cast me not away from Thy sight in the great and notably day when You will come again". And so, "Yes, maybe I have deceived you today receiving Communion, but how shall I then? Please accept me also in the day of Thy Second Coming". Having this conscience, we can maintain our inspiration, and the Liturgy can always be fresh.
Archimandrite Zacharias, The enlargement of the heart, 2006
Postat de:
Parintele Constantin
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