Our Coptic Orthodox Church has 7 Sacraments; one of these Sacraments is the Holy Communion. We all have a chance to partake in this special Sacrament every Sunday. The Holy Communion is when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ in our heart. We receive the True Body and True Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19 On Holy Thursday, the day right before our Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ along with His disciples went to the house of St. Mark. On this day He told the disciples exactly what to do after He has resurrected from the dead. He loves us so much and He wanted to always be with us so He told his disciples exactly what to do:
If you were going to meet a king would you meet him with dirty clothes, of course not! So our hearts need to be clean and ready to meet our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of all Kings. HOW SHOULD I GET READY TO TAKE COMMUNION?
Did you know even the angels come down from Heaven to be all around our Lord Jesus Christ and they are all around us during the Liturgy!!
When you receive the Holy Communion, remember that you are taking the True Body and True Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and He is in your heart “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:56) Why is The Holy Communion so important to us that we should receive regularly? By receiving The Holy Body and The Holy Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ; 1- I abide in Christ and Christ abides in me He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” John 6:56 2- I will have eternal life. “Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. He who eats this Bread will live forever” (John 6:54, 58). 3- I will be saved and my sins will be forgiven. When I receive The Holy Body and The Holy Blood with repentance, my sins will be forgiven. “Amen, Amen, Amen … Given for salvation, remission of sins, and eternal life to those who partake of Him” St. Basil Liturgy (Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia from 370 to 379.) 4- I will be in unity with the community of believers. “For we being many, are ONE bread and ONE body, for we all partake of that one body” (1 Corinthians 10:17). That’s why Abouna prays only on one bread to be changed by The Holy Spirit to The Holy Body. He doesn’t pray on 2 or 3 breads even though the numbers of partakers are many. For this reason, in the Gregorian liturgy we pray, “May the unity of heart that is for love, be rooted in us,” and this is achieved through partaking of the same Body and Blood of our Lord. Eucharist, in different name Communion is the Sacrament of Sacraments or the Crown of Sacraments as all the Sacraments are crowned by it. For example,
How do I get prepared for receiving Holy Communion? 1- Believe that this is the true Body and true Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 2- Examine yourself (repentance and confession). Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup for he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.” (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). St. John Chrysostom (347-407), Archbishop of Constantinople “No one approaches idly or negligently, but let us approach with zeal and fervor and stay alert 3- Develop a feeling of unworthiness: Worthiness is feeling unworthy and sinful, and knowing that the holies are for the holy person, and that no person has reached this holiness but struggles to attain it. The priest says: (St. Basil liturgy): “Make us all worthy to partake of your holies, For we put no trust in our righteousness but in your mercy whereby you have given life to our race.” When you present yourself to communion, always pray saying: “I Am not worthy but am in need for You O Lord” Who is accountable for distributing the Holy Communion? The Bishop, or the priest who serves the Liturgy and sanctifies the sacrifice is completely responsible for the Holy Body and The Holy Blood before God, just like the Cherubim that God appointed at the East of the garden of Eden, holding a sword of fire to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The sword in the priest’s hand is the authority of priesthood given to him by God, to give the Communion to the worthy repentant and forbid it from those who are unworthy. The measuring reed In the book of Revelation, St John says, “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying: “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there” (Revelation 11:1). The reed given to St John symbolizes the authority given to Christ’s ministers to ‘measure’ (assess) the believers. The Bank teller As the bank teller is responsible for every dollar going out from the bank’s safe, and must be accountable for every document by which he withdraws any amount from the safe, The priest, Christ’s minister, who is responsible before God to ensure that every one who approaches the Holy Communion is worthy and ready; otherwise he will be condemned by God for his negligence in giving Communion to those who are unworthy: “He who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks Judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s Body” (1 Corinthians 11:29).
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