On Frequent Communion

Dear Parish Faithful,

Last Sunday's homily dealt with the theme of frequent Communion. Here is a forceful argument in favor by Archbishop Lazar. He makes the point for regular Communion based on the Church Fathers - especially St. John Chrysostom - and the canons of the various church councils.

Fr. Steven

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Synaxis Press Tracts, Nr. 3:
(Canadian Centre for Patristic and Biblical Studies)

HOW OFTEN SHOULD ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION?
Archbishop Lazar Puhalo

If we search the canons which the Holy Spirit has given us through the Holy Church, and the teachings of our Holy and Godbearing fathers, then we will find that with one accord and as if with a single voice, they direct us to partake of the Holy Mystery not merely frequently, but constantly.

The practice of infrequent Communion, whatever its precise origin, became concrete in some of the local churches as a result of Latin influence (primarily, of course, through the Uniate occupation of Western Russia and the Ukraine - prior to this century, Latins were deprived of frequent communion and were taught to commune only four times a year).

Many of the legalistic arguments of the Latins have been employed by some of our own people in trying to maintain the non-Orthodox practice of infrequent Communion. No one, however, has been able to justify it by Orthodox Christian means. "0, the power of custom and prejudice, " laments St John Chrysostom.

The canons of God's Church answer our question in this manner:

The Holy Apostles have decreed that, "All those faithful who enter and listen to the Scripture, but do not remain for prayer and [partaking of] the Holy Mysteries must be excommunicated. ... " (c.9 of the Apostles).

According to the explication of the canon in the Rudder, this means that all who are not penitents and who thus remain for the prayers, not departing when the proclamation "Depart!" is heard, must without fail receive Holy Communion. Our Holy and Godbearing fathers gathered in the Holy Spirit at Antioch directed us:

"And those persons who enter the church and listen to the sacred Scriptures, but shun the participation in the Eucharist, ... we decree that these people be outcasts from the Church until they confess and exhibit the fruits of repentance. " (c.2 of Antioch).

The explication of the canon explains that this refers precisely to people who excuse themselves for abstaining from Holy Communion "on account of humility or reverence." Such humility would be feigned since it is contradictory to obedience and such reverence would be false since the greatest act of reverence to the Eucharist is partaking of it.

Again, our Holy and God-bearing father Timothy of Alexandria (ca 370) expresses the universal consensus of the Holy Church when he is asked:

"If anyone who is a believer be possessed of a demon, ought he to partake of the Holy Mysteries or not?"

and replies:
"If he does not repudiate the Mystery, nor otherwise in anyway blaspheme, let him commune, but not every day in the week; for it is sufficient for him on the Lord's Day only. "

In other words, even a person possessed of a demon is to partake of the Holy Mystery every Sunday, while, it is quite clear, the rest of the faithful are to partake every day, where possible.

St John Chrysostom seems to synthesize the thoughts of the fathers and give expression to the concept of the Church conscience on partaking of the Holy Mysteries, in his Homily 3 on Ephesians. Here, he instructs both those who would take communion too lightly and without preparation and those who fail to take Communion at each Divine Liturgy:

"I observe how many partake of Christ's Body lightly and just as it happens, and rather from custom and form than from consideration and understanding.."

The Saint makes this charge not against those who commune regularly, but against those who commune only on a few feast days. He continues:

"When, says one, the holy season of Lent sets in, whatever a man may be, he partakes of the Mysteries, or when the day of the Lord's Theophany comes. And yet it is not the Theophany nor is it Lent that makes a fit time for approaching, but it is sincerity and purity of soul. With this, approach at all times; without it, never. 'For as often, he [Paul] says, 'as you do this, you proclaim the Lord's death,' that is, you make remembrance of the salvation that has been wrought for you, and the benefits which I have bestowed. ' .... And do you, when you draw nigh to a sacrifice at which the very angels tremble, do you measure the matter by the revolution of season? Observe the vast inconsistency of the thing. At the other times, you do not come ... ; but at Pascha, no matter how flagrant an act you may have committed, you come. Oh, the power of custom and prejudice! In vain is the daily Sacrifice [offered}, in vain do we stand before the altar! There is no one to partake. I am not saying these things to induce you to partake under any circumstances, but that you should render yourselves worthy to partake. Are you not worthy of the Sacrifice nor of the participation [in Communion}? If so, then neither are you worthy] of the prayer. You hear the herald say, 'Depart!' As many as do not partake are in penitence. If you are one of those you ought not to partake; ... Why then does he say depart you that are not qualified to pray, while you have the effrontery to stand still? You are not of the number of those who are qualified to partake and yet you are indifferent about it and regard the matter as nothing. "

And here is the point. It is not those who partake constantly of the Holy Mysteries who take them for granted, but it is those who do not partake who count it as insignificant, for, if they did not take the Holy Mystery merely for granted, then they would either prepare themselves to partake, or else depart weeping that they were unworthy to do so, when the deacon proclaims, "Depart!" Those who partake constantly, on the other hand, do not take the Eucharist for granted, but rather count it as the greatest necessity for their lives.

"Look, I entreat you," Chrysostom continues: "A royal table is set before you, angels minister at the table, the King Himself is there, and do you stand gaping? Are your garments defiled and yet you take no account of it? Or are they clean? Then partake .... For everyone that does not partake of the Mysteries is standing here in shameless effrontery. It is for this reason that they which are in sins are first of all sent out .... You [who are not partaking] are no more allowed to be here than the catechumen is.

"One might go on to other points, and those more awful still; but in order not to burden your understanding, these will suffice. They who are not brought to their senses with these certainly will not be with more. That I may not then be the means of increasing your condemnation, I entreat you not to forbear coming to church, but to render yourselves worthy of being present and of approaching [for Communion]. "

Finally, our Holy and God-bearing fathers of the Sixth Ecumenical Council, calling upon us to come forth for Holy Communion have taught us:

The divine Apostle loudly proclaims that man created in the image of God is to be a body of Christ and a temple. Standing, therefore, far above all sensible creation and having attained to a heavenly dignity by virtue of the saving Passion, by eating and drinking Christ as a source of life, he readjusts both his eternal soul and his body and by partaking of the divine Grace he is continually sanctified (c.1 0 1 of 6;. cf l Cor.l2:27; 2Cor.6:16).

Lay Aside All Earthly Cares

Dear Parish Faithful,


"Lay aside all earthly cares"

At the beginning of the liturgical year (September 1) I usually try and review our liturgical theology and liturgical practices, so that such a review may lead to a renewal of our understanding and experience of the Divine Liturgy. Actually, what may be a review for older members of the parish may simultaneously serve as a form of catechesis for newer members and inquirers who are worshiping with us. The Liturgy - culminating in the Eucharist - always remains at the very heart of our parish life, for everything in parish life begins, develops and is sustained by our communal eucharistic experience. As Fr. Alexander Schmemann would say, the Eucharist "constitutes" the Church as the Body of Christ and foretaste of the Kingdom of God. As we "depart in peace" at the end of the Liturgy, we bring that peace to our personal practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving; and to our community-based ministries that not only build up the life of the parish, but which offer service to the world in the name of Christ. We are, ultimately, set apart from the world as a eucharistic people.

What do we bring to the Liturgy on a given Sunday morning? In addition to our faith in Christ as our Savior and the One that we encounter and partake of in the Eucharist, I would also hope a sense of anticipation for that very encounter. I would further hope that it is not only social events, entertainment and sporting events that create, even within adults, that child-like eagerness of looking forward to something. If coming to church on Sunday morning becomes an "obligation" or "duty," then I believe something is missing. That would be a "recipe" for boredom, restlessness, distraction or even listlessness. Fulfilling a religious obligation may lead to a sense of satisfaction in doing what is expected of us as Orthodox Christians; but it would hardly culminate in the joy and "burning of heart" that characterize an encounter with the Risen Lord. Examining our faith and our priorities may lead to the renewal that we need to periodically experience in order to recapture an enthusiasm for the Liturgy that we may have lost along the way.

To eagerly anticipate the Liturgy on the Lord's Day may also create in us a sense of preparation. I have written of this elsewhere in my booklet The Divine Liturgy - Meaning, Preparation and Practice, and am now simply sharing that again. Some of this is very practical in nature, but it is meant to offer some pastoral suggestions that could help us focus better when preparing for church:

Our preparation begins well before we will walk through the doors of the church on Sunday morning: actually, the Lord's Day begins with the service of Great Vespers on Saturday evening. The new liturgical day begins at sunset when Great Vespers is served; for the Scriptures say: "And there was evening and there was morning, one day." (GEN. 1:5)

Bearing this liturgical cycle in mind, we know upon awakening Sunday morning that this day is special, for it is the day of our assembly together as the Body of Christ. (The word church is from the Greek ekklesia, meaning those who are "called out" to assemble so as to perform a common task). Already, in our homes, we begin to "lay aside all earthly cares" (Cherubic Hymn), so that when we reach the church we are not overly distracted with the things of "this world" during the Liturgy. Practically, this means the following: to refrain from watching or listening to the television, radio, or stereo when preparing for church; even the newspaper and other forms of superficial reading can wait until we return home. This is all part of that fasting which will be broken or, rather, fulfilled when we receive Holy Communion. The impact on young children will be one of reinforcing the unique quality of the Lord's Day. Things are done differently; the house is more peaceful or quiet (no guarantees, of course!). If we are well up before we leave for church, part of our preparation could include reading the appointed scriptural passages (alone or together with our children) that will shortly be proclaimed in a liturgical setting. There are the pre-Communion prayers, lives of the saints, spiritual (or simply good, intelligent) literature, etc. that we could turn to. And there is the total fast from food and drink.

Our preparation before entering the church is quiet and purposeful; we have a destination - the Kingdom of God! That is why our preparation is joyful and light, though sober. Our fasting on Sunday morning is then something easily assumed, for we know that we await the riches of the Kingdom of the Divine Liturgy.

As the People of God - the laos tou Theou - we have "work" to do at the Divine Liturgy. Hieromonk Gregorios, in his remarkable book The Divine Liturgy - A Commentary in the Light of the Fathers, explains this nicely based on the very meaning of the word liturgy:

The Greek word leitourgia is a compound of leitos, meaning 'common' or 'public', and ergon meaning 'work'. So leitourgia means a common work, a work of the people. Thus the designation Liturgy cogently manifests the fact that the faithful actively participate in the eucharistic Mystery, and that without their presence and consent the priest is unable to celebrate. (p. 110)

Preparation is essential for the common and wholly unique work of the Divine Liturgy to be done "decently and in order," but with zeal and a love for God that is the only genuine response to God's love of us and the entire world (kosmos). This preparation is basically internal - the work of the mind and the heart - but not only is it not less real because of that, but perhaps more real as it touches the very nature of our being human and created "in the image and likeness of God."

Feel free to forward any questions that you may have about the meaning, preparation and practice of the Divine Liturgy.

Fr. Steven

God's Many-Splendored Image

Dear Parish Faithful,

In searching for a book to study together at our upcoming Fall Adult Education Class, I was determined to find a book written by an Orthodox woman. There are many good choices today, but I believe that I discovered a wonderful new book that will prove to be of great interest and insight to all. The book is: God's Many-Splendored Image, and the author is Sister Nonna Harrison, an excellent scholar and Orthodox nun. Sister Nonna has built up a reputation as an expert in the writings of the Church Fathers, but also for making Orthodox theology very accessible and applicable to today's world. She achieves this to great effect in her new book. She takes on a deeply important issue in today's world: a feeling of dehumanization and despair among so many people who are really struggling to find meaning in life. This is based on either on a dim view of human nature; a very reduced image of human nature; or a confused understanding of human nature. Can a trip to church on Sunday morning spare us from being influenced in that way of thinking? Perhaps a seasoned guide into the life in Christ and the Church can lead us away from such temptation.

For positively, Sister Nonna carefully explores what it means to be created "in the image and likeness of God." She does this from a range of perspectives, each covered in a separate chapter. The chapters cover the following themes:

1. Freedom
2. God and Christ
3. Spiritual Perception
4. Virtues and Humility
5. Royal Dignity
6. Embodiment
7. In the Created World
8. Arts and Sciences
9. Community

Her application of the wisdom of the great saints of the past - Church Fathers and Desert Fathers & Mothers, as well as including the wisdom of modern thinkers - is really excellent, and she helps us draw out the implications of this great wisdom in our lives today.

Are you tired of hearing that basically you are nothing more than your biology? Are you tired of the devaluation of human nature to nothing more than satisfying your passions and desires - for food and fun; sex and success? Are you tired of seeing that in the vast majority of TV programs and films that you watch? Would you like to hear about the dignity, beauty and wonder of being human? Of how a loving God created us in His "image and likeness" so as to grow in virtue and excellence? Of how Christ reveals to us what it means to be human and how to live a life pleasing to God and helpful to our neighbor?

This book is the fruit of an Orthodox Christian woman's faith and vision that will take us into the uncharted realms of the mind and heart where we can better understand who and what we are in the creative will of God, so that we can live up to and live out that vocation in a meaningful way. Here is a wonderful combination of schoarly knowledge and loving spiritual care for those dialoging with Sister Nonna through reading her book.

No less a figure than Metropolitan Kallistos(Timothy) Ware wrote a ringing endorsement of the book as the author of the book's Foreword. Here is an excerpt from the Foreword:

"Sister Nonna writes as an expert in the early Christian world and its literature, but she presents the fruits of her learning in a form that is readily accessible to every reader. Her style is simple yet profound, vivid yet never overstated....Here truly is a work that I can recommend with all my heart."

We have traditionally held this class on Monday evenings. We are scheduled to begin, therefore, on Monday, November 8, and this class is always six sessions in length, making the last session Dec. 13. If you would like to commit to the class, but cannot on Monday evening, please let me know. The book is selling for $15.63 on amazon.com, and that is a good discount from the retail price of $22.95. (There are new and used copies selling for as low as $10.00-13.00). I highly doubt we could find a better price elsewhere, so my advice is simply to purchase it from there. Money well-invested!

The Fall Adult Education Class is meant to ... well, educate us in the depth, beauty, and glory of our shared Orthodox Christian Faith by reading and discussing a book together as a gathered body of committed Orthodox Christians.

I am looking forward to our first session together on Monday, November 8!

In Christ,

Fr. Steven

Spreading Out Her Veil

Dear Parish Faithful,

Today, October 1, is the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Great Horologion describes the Feast in this manner:

"The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the early sixth century, as recorded in the life of St. Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of St. Andrew, through the saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers."

As we chant in one of the hymns of the Feast:

Heaven and earth are sanctified,
the Church shines and all people make glad.
For behold, the Mother of God with the hosts of angels,
with preachers and evangelists, prophets and apostles,
has invisibly entered.
She prays to Christ for Christians
and entreats Him to have mercy on this city and people
who glorify the Feast of her Protecting Veil. (Stichera at Great Vespers)

Fr. Steven

When Christian Leaders Break Public Confidence

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,

A Commentary:

There are always a great deal of really important news stories developing not only on a daily basis, but on an hourly basis in our country and around the globe. The cumulative effect can be quite depressing when one considers the human suffering involved from either "natural disasters," unforseen accidents, or the murderous aggression of human beings toward one another, on both the personal and collective levels. Wars, terrorist attacks, ethnic and social tensions that break out into violence; political parties and ideologies endlessly clashing; "human rights" violations, or the abuse and suffering of poor and defenseless persons, including innocent children. It all seems rather endless. At the other end of the spectrum of noteworthy news, there is always the "soap opera" world of Lady Gaga wearing a dress made out of meat at a public event; or Paris Hilton's or Lindsey Lohan's latest drug bust and rehab meltdown. (Some people are famous ... for being famous). The entertainment world provides us with almost "comic relief," or at least some meaningless distractions that allow us to catch our breath before the next hard-hittiing story breaks into our lives. Of course, we also suffer from "disaster fatigue," that can leave us desensitized to that very human suffering that occurs on a daily basis.

Somewhere in between those two drastically-distant poles of the tragic and the farcical, we find some news stories that have a resonance beyond the actual "facts," because they raise other significant issues that influence our perception of either prominent individuals and/or established institutions. The sordid affairs of a multi-millionaire golfer who betrayed his wife are not socially significant in and of themselves - and perhaps "none of our business" - but the issues of "role models" for younger children and adolescents; of the moral delusions of "entitlement" for the "rich and the famous;" and even the media madness surrounding such a story have some importance, for example. So, I place the latest sex scandal involving a prominent Christian minister into this middle category of noteworthy news, less for its intrinsic interest - just more sordid details that may leave one morally nauseous upon reading about them - than for its repurcussions on how the American public perceives "organized religion" and its key representatives.

If you haven't heard or read of it yet, one of the most well-known Christian figures on the contemporary American religious landscape is the Atlanta pastor, "Bishop" Eddie Long. Megachurch Christianity is not on my interior radar screen, so I admit to being ignorant of "Bishop" Long's status, though I do recall being vaguely familiar with his name. He is the pastor of a 25,000 member church in Atlanta! (I understand that he was the "officiating pastor" at Coretta King's funeral, and this should give us some indication of his high-level status). Since this megachurch claims to be Baptist, I am surprised that he carries the title of "bishop," for Baptists have never accepted the office of bishop. Be that as it may, Pastor Long, a vociferous opponent of homosexuality, is being sued by three young men who have accused him of basically paying for their sexual services while they were in their late teens by an ongoing avalanche of gifts and privileges. The suit claims that Pastor Long turned these "spiritual sons" into sex servants (who were "of age" at the time).

As a recent commentator on the radio said: When high-level public personas - especially politicians, entertainers, sports figures and, alas, popular religious figures - are engaged in a battle with sexual temptation, sex always wins. As of today, Pastor Long has asked for "patience" as he prepares to refute these "ugly charges." Since initial denial is the invariable response these days to allegations of sexual misconduct, such denial is often met with skepticism. Perhaps if he publicly said: "There is no sex" he may be able to gain some precious time as he prepares his defense (and as we re-open the debate on the meaning of "is.") However, before we once again proclaim: "How the mighty have fallen," we need to hear from Pastor Long himself and take a careful and dispassionate look at the allegations.

As we await the unfolding of this case, it does raise the issue of how the American public perceives religious figures placed high on a public pedestal, or how it perceives what we call "organized religion." Clearly, there is a huge demographic group - skeptics, agnostics, atheists, anti-Christians - that gleefully anticipate the deflation of such figures, and who rejoice proportionally according to the ugliness of the story. The cries of "hypocrisy," and the indictment of organized religion as the cover for unsavory manipulation of persons and the cynical accumulation of money will now circulate as long as this story has any staying power. That is to be expected, and as long as these stories are true, such comments are deserved, though made with more delight than genuine concern for all involved - including the victims. Another group will collectively shrug its shoulders and wink with an "I told you so" attitude, that also asks: "What did you expect?" or "You aren't actually surprised, are you?" There may be some who spend time on this story and are genuinely concerned precisely about the public perception of Christianity and religion in general. Such sordid scandals erode public confidence in religious leaders and their trustworthiness. This is "bad news" for all Christians at some level. For many, it justifies their reluctance to enter into a Christian community; or even further it raises questions about the very reliability of the Gospel message. Why join up with all of those sanctimonious, judgemental hypocrites, since all religion claims are bogus?

From my perspective, I do not understand how sexual temptation and sexual scandals in any way touch on the question of whether or not Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and Son of God! These sad incidents offer a commentary on fallen human nature and the power of temptation, but should not in any manner undermine the integrity of the Gospel. That may just remain an excuse for lazy, indifferent and careless thinkers to avoid the deeper questions of life and its meaning posed by the Gospel, or not to engage in that haunting question from the Gospels, asked by Jesus Himself: "Who do people say that I am?" Fallen Christians do not mean that the Gospel is somehow untrue. At the end of history, perhaps only a "little flock" in the wilderness will remain loyal to Christ, but that does not mean that He is no longer the Lord of history and the cosmos.

Yet, these same sad incidents reveal just how much responsibility Christian leaders have to maintain public confidence in the over-all integrity of the Christian faith. How many of the "little ones" from within the Church can be hurt or disappointed by the scandalous behavior of their leaders, even driving them away from their communities in despair. Think for a moment of the unending turmoil within the Roman Catholic Church due to the many sex-abuse cases that have become public knowledge. This is just as true for our own Orthodox Church which is not exempt from such scandal. The Apostle Paul understood and anticipated this when he spoke to those who "aspired to the office of bishop;"

Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. He must manage his own household well ... morever he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (I TIM. 3:1-4, 7)

If "Bishop" Long is indeed guilty as charged, then he obviously lost sight of the Apostle Paul's exhortation to potential leaders in the Church. Now those on the "outside" can mock and deride to their hearts content. Again, this effects more than the responsible, fallen person. A sense of betrayal and scandal can overcome an entire community and lead to embarrassment, anger or discouragement. The "weaker" members may fall away. There is no sense in hoping that Pastor Long is guilty or not guilty. What is, is, and it will be disclosed in the end. If guilty, then there is one more blow to the public integrity of Christian leaders, and perhaps to the perception of the integrity of the Christian Faith, and the consequences are what we all have to live with.

Fr. Steven