Participating in the Heavenly Banquet

We recently had a visiting couple attend the Sunday morning Liturgy here at the monastery. From out of state and on vacation, they entered the temple shortly after the Gospel reading. Not only did they miss the beginning of the Liturgy, they were not properly dressed for entering an Orthodox temple. I assumed they were not Orthodox and was quite surprised when they approached the chalice, expecting to receive the Holy Mysteries.

The Russian Orthodox Church requires anyone who desires to receive Holy Communion to have prepared themselves with confession, the precommunion prayers and having abstained from food or drink from midnight on. Most of the world’s Local Orthodox Churches hold to this standard, recognizing that the clergy, as guardians of the Mysteries, must make sure anyone who approaches the chalice is Orthodox, and properly prepared. The requirement that one be a member of the Orthodox Church before approaching the chalice  relates to the fact that communion is the outward expression of having all things in common, in faith and worship. Receiving Holy Communion is the fruit of unity.

The Holy Scriptures tell us that to receive unworthily is spiritually dangerous. We are receiving the very Body and Blood of the Saviour for the healing of both body and soul. This eating and drinking is not about a simple remembrance of a past event, but an entrance into the Heavenly Realm, where there is neither time nor space. When communing we are participating mystically in the very Banquet that is on going in heaven. In the Eucharist we have a foretaste of heavenly things. Thus, proper preparation for the reception of Christ’s Body and Blood is imperative for our very salvation. To eat or drink unworthily is to put our immortal soul at risk.

Orthodoxy in North America does not have a common practice in regards to preparation. Some jurisdictions allow members to approach the chalice without having confessed, thus contributing to the abuse of the Mysteries by people who may or may not be fasting and who may never confess.

On the flip side, for those who are required to confess before communing, they can fall into the habit of going through the motions of confession without giving the priest adequate time to offer spiritual direction. When this happens, confession is no different than refraining from confession at all. We can easily run through the usual litany of sins, get absolution and start the week off without having made a heartfelt confession and having a plan to avoid the sins just confession. We must have a plan of action that will allow the Holy Spirit to transform our heart. True repentance MUST include a commitment to go and sin no more! This requires the guidance of a confessor and takes more time than simply getting in a long line prior to the service.

Love and blessings,
Abbot Tryphon

Tuesday July 11, 2023 / June 28, 2023
6th Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Apostles’ (Peter & Paul) Fast. Fish Allowed
Translation of the relics (412) of the Holy and Wonderworking Unmercenaries Cyrus and John(311).
Venerables Sergius and Herman (14th c.), abbots of Valaam.
New Hieromartyr Basil, deacon (1918).
Virgin-martyr Sebastiana (1938).
New Hieromartyr Gregory, deacon (1940).
Venerable Xenophon, abbot of Robeika (Novgorod) (1262).
Venerable Paul the Physician of Corinth (7th c.).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of the Three Hands” (8th c.).
Venerable Sergius of Crete.
Venerable Moses the Anchorite.
St. Sennuphius the Standard-bearer of Egypt (4th c.).
St. Austol of Cornwall (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Hieromartyr Donatus of Libya (Greek).
Three Martyrs of Galatia (Greek).
70 Martyrs of Scythopolis (Greek).
Martyr Pappias (Greek).
Martyr Macedonius (Greek).
Venerable Magnus, monk who reposed while praying to the Lord (Greek).
Martyrs Serenus, Plutarchus, Heraclides, Heron, Raiso, and others in Alexandria (202).

The Scripture Readings

Luke 1:39-49

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

The Song of Mary

46 And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.

Luke 1:56

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Greeting

1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes ourbrother,

2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Gifts at Corinth

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

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