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Whoso Eatheth My Flesh and Drinketh My Blood Hath Eternal Life
(quoted from pages 29-35 of Elder Ephraim's text linked below)
"So much has been said about this "controversial point" of the Holy Eucharist that the faithful wonder what they should do in the long run. Two questions mainly arise: a) how often and b) after what preparation may and should the faithful receive the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist?
The answer has been given by the Church, which has been guided, is guided, and shall be guided by the Holy Spirit "to the whole truth"...(read more here)
"...Fasting means continual temperance. In other words, we should not only fast on the set days of the year when we want to receive Communion and then eat so much for the rest of the year so as to replace in the shortest possible period what we had been deprived of on the days of our preparation for the Holy Communion...."
"...It is through this Sacrament that we define our relationship with Christ. According to the way we prepare ourselves and according to the frequency in coming to Communion, we are classified as ardent, or lukewarm, or cold in our love towards Him. Regular Communion means continual repentance..."
"If we come to our confessor with as much confidence as we go to our doctor we are quite certain that through him God shall make the most suitable suggestions for the solution of our problems..."
"In accordance with the preparations you make, you shall be given the grace of the Communion...receive regularly and do so as worthily as possible...'But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup.'
2 comments:
Us, the Christian Orthodox in Romania, we usually receive the Holy Eucharist in the four periods of fast after fasting at least one week. We previously confess and, if our confessor gives us the blessing for Eucharist, we receive It. But the most faithful Orthodox Christians can receive the Eucharist every 40 days if they fast and if the confessor allowes it. Children under 6 can receive It every sunday. If they are more than 2 years, they must not eat before this holy sacrament. We are convinced that we are anyway unworthy to receive the holy Eucharist, but we ask for Christ's mercy.
Some nice quotes concerning preparation. Thanks for sharing.
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