3D"St.
Canberra, Australia

On Holy Communion, the Purifying Treasure

Collected from St. Nicodemus of the Holy = Mountain

"With the fear of God, faith and love draw near"

We shall prove from scriptural and patristic witnesses that it is = necessary=20 for the faithful and Orthodox Christians to receive the Body and Blood = of our=20 Lord frequently throughout our lives, so long as there is no objection = from our=20 spiritual father, and that frequent Communion produces great benefits = for the=20 soul and body; while delaying this, on the contrary, produces many = harmful and=20 destructive results.

The commentary on the eighth and ninth Apostolic Canons emphasizes: = "The=20 commands of these canons are very strict and severe, for they = excommunicate=20 those who come to the Liturgy but do not remain until the end and take=20 Communion. And other canons of the Councils command the same: namely, = that it is=20 wholly proper and appropriate to receive Communion."

When the Christian communes, what mind could understand the gifts and = graces=20 he enjoys after the Divine Communion? How can our feeble tongue express = it?

Anyone who does not commune frequently is following the opposite way, = for he=20 is not sealed with the precious Blood of the Lord, as St. Gregory the = Theologian=20 states.

And so, my brethren, if we do as our Holy Fathers direct and receive=20 frequently, we have not only the cooperation and help of divine grace = during=20 this temporal life, we also have the assistance of the angels of God and = of Him=20 who is the Lord of the angels.

This Blood of the Lord is salvation for our souls; with it the soul = rejoices,=20 with it, it is beautified, it is warmed; this Blood makes the mind shine = more=20 brightly than the light; it makes the soul more beautiful than gold. = Those who=20 partake of this Body stand with the angels and archangels and the powers = above;=20 with it they are adorned with royal robes and the weapons of the Spirit. = Those=20 who receive Communion receive the very King Himself.

Do you see what graces you receive if you commune frequently? Do you = see how=20 the mind becomes radiant, thoughts shine, and all the powers of the soul = are=20 purified with frequent Communion? If you love mortifying the fleshly = passions,=20 commune frequently and you will delight.

Without frequent Communion we will not be able to free ourselves from = the=20 passions nor raise ourselves to the heights of sobriety.

And if we do not partake frequently?if possible, even daily?of the = precious=20 Body and Blood of our Lord, then we will not be able to escape the = devil.

Many invent all kinds of virtues and think that just by doing these = without=20 frequent Communion, they will be saved?which is utterly impossible, = since they=20 do not wish to obey God's will and commune frequently and to follow the = Church's=20 standard for every festal Liturgy.

To be loved by Christ through frequent Communion of the holy Body and = Blood,=20 makes it impossible [for us] not to love everyone.

How can you love other good things, 0 Christian, and not frequently = receive=20 Communion? Would you like to enjoy each day? Would you like to have = Pascha and=20 rejoice with ineffable joy at the end of life? Then run frequently to = the=20 Mystery and receive it with proper preparation, so that you may = rejoice.

It is the will of God that all of us who are Christians should = receive His=20 Body and Blood frequently, so that by means of frequent Communion in = this=20 present life, we shall be safeguarded from the snares and schemes of the = devil"=20 and when our souls depart in the hour of death, they may fly like freed = doves=20 and without any hindrance from the aerial spirits.

O the grandeur of the glory those Christians receive from frequent = Communion,=20 both in the present life and in that to come!

If it is necessary to confess and do penance in order to receive = forgiveness=20 of sins, Holy Communion is just as necessary for the remission of sins; = as with=20 a festering wound: first one removes worms, then cuts away putrid = tissue, and=20 last of all, applies ointment that it may heal; if you do this, you are = restored=20 to your former condition. Thus if you sin: with confession you remove = the worms,=20 and with penance you cut away what is putrid, and follow this with Holy=20 Communion which becomes the ointment, and you are healed. For if he is = not given=20 Holy Communion, the wretched sinner will return to his former state and, = in the=20 end, will become someone who is worse than before (Matthew 12:45).

I am astonished and amazed how contemporary Christians can celebrate = Sundays=20 and other feasts of the year with true spiritual joy, and yet not = partake=20 frequently of the Holy Communion, which is the rationale and purpose of = each of=20 the feasts and festivals. It is most certain that those who do not = commune=20 frequently, fall short, alas, of all the celestial and divine good = things; and=20 beside this, they violate the commandments of the Lord and the = authoritative=20 decisions of the apostles and the Councils and of all the saints. They = are under=20 the penalty of excommunication according to the holy apostles and the = Council of=20 Antioch. Such people give aid and opportunity to the devil through = avoiding=20 Communion, casting themselves into various sins and many other = temptations.

O my brethren, let us see just once with the soul's noetic eyes of = what=20 heights and of what great, good things we fall short when we do not = commune=20 frequently; then indeed we will want to make ready all our faculties and = commune=20 in this manner, even daily. And if we have shown great negligence = towards the=20 Holy Communion until now, then let us from now on, I beg you with = brotherly-love=20 let us awake from the deep sleep of indolence, and let put forth = eagerness and=20 diligence.

Orthodox Life, Vol. 33, No. 5 (Sept-Oct. 1983), pp. = 17-18.

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