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Prayer is a form of communion between God and humanity. It is a conversation, a dialogue between us and our Creator.  We reveal our inner-most secrets, requests, needs, and problems to God, and God reveals His Will to our mind.  We acknowledge our faults and shortcomings with assurance that He is a merciful God.  In return, we experience the satisfaction of forgiveness.  At times, our prayers are words of gratitude and glorification to God for His kindness to us.  Regardless of what type of prayer we offer, when it pertains to us personally, it is a private prayer.

Public prayer, or worship, is offered by our Church through attendance at the Divine Liturgy.  Participation in the Liturgy means being part of the re-enactment of the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, together with common prayer, the study of the scriptures, and communion with God.

The Divine Liturgy is a Sacrament of the Church.  It is a sacred, mystical action between God and His people.  It originated with the Last Supper; and the Apostles, obedient to the Lord’s command of, “Do this in remembrance of Me,” observed it regularly.  St. Paul also gives us a description of the Divine Liturgy in his First Epistle to the Corinthians.  Before the Gospels were written, Sacred Tradition provided the basis, the authority, and the method for the observance.  Words and phrases were gradually added to the Divine Liturgy.  Since the beginning of the Fourth Century, however, when St. Basil compiled the present form of the Divine Liturgy, we have had no substantial changes or variations.  Thus, throughout the centuries, the Divine Liturgy has preserved its four major features.

First, the Divine Liturgy is a remembrance of the life, cross, death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, the Divine Liturgy is a sacrifice. “This is my body which is broken for you,” said Christ, and “This is my blood which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Unlike the primitive forms of sacrifice, this sacrifice is the perfect sacrifice offered by the only begotten Son of God.

Thirdly, the Divine Liturgy is a communion.  “Take, eat, this is my body,” and “drink of it all of you, this is my blood,” said Christ.  When we approach the Holy Chalice we receive Christ in our hearts; rather, we should say that we are received by Christ!!  We receive forgiveness of our sins and we reconcile ourselves with God.

Finally, the Divine Liturgy is a thanksgiving, because Christ offered a thanksgiving to God the Father before He instituted the Sacrament.  Thus, whenever we receive Holy Communion, we gratefully recall the love of Jesus Christ, who died for us.

 

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