My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
+
THE DIVINE LITURGY: THE EPICLESIS (INVOCATION)
"When these words have been said, the whole sacred rite is accomplished, the offerings are consecrated, the Sacrifice complete, the Divine Oblation, slain for the salvation of the world, lies upon the altar. For it is no longer the bread, which until now has represented the Lord's Body, nor is it a simple offering, bearing the likeness of the true offering, carrying as if engraved on it the symbols of the Savior's Passion: it is the true victim, the most Holy Body of the Lord, which really suffered the outrages, insults and blows, which was crucified and slain, which under Pontius Pilate bore such splendid witness; that body which was mocked, scourged, spat upon, and which tasted gall, in like manner the wine has become the Blood, which flowed from that Body, it is that Body and Blood formed by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, which was buried, which rose again on the third day, which ascended into heaven and sits down at the right hand of the Father" (Saint Nicholas Cavasilas (+ 1371), On the Divine Liturgy).
"...and we ask, pray, and entreat Thee: send down Thy Holy Spirit..."
To call upon Almighty God to send His Holy Spirit on us and on the Gifts offered! Who is so daring, so bold? That is why we "ask, we pray, and we entreat." We are totally unworthy of asking anything of God, particularly for the Great Gift of the Holy Spirit to be sent down for our sake! Prophet Elijah called upon God with fear and trembling to manifest Himself, doing it not of his own initiative but "at His word." Then God sent down fire, which consumed the offering (see 1 Kings19:36-38). What is that fire compared to the invisible fire of the Holy Spirit that descends and sanctifies the offerings, rendering them the very Body and Blood of the Lord?
Before the Ascension to heaven, the Lord said to His Disciples: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8). Here we see the power of the Holy Spirit at work. Elijah of old cried, "Answer me, O Lord" (1 Kings 18:37), and fire came down from heaven. Here the priest cries "Send down Thy Holy Spirit" and behold the Holy Spirit Descends and Sanctifies the Gifts. The priest "protracts the supplication for a long time, not in order to bring down a flame from heaven to burn the gifts presented, but so that the Grace, descends upon the sacrifice, through it may burn all the souls."
"...Upon us..."
In the Old Testament, during the journey of the Israelites through the desert, the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle in the form of a cloud (Exodus 40:34-35). Similarly, in every Divine Liturgy, the Holy Spirit Descends and fills the holy temple and the New Israel of God (the Holy Church) [Galatians 6:16]. There, when the cloud covered the tent, not even Moses could enter it; here, the Holy Spirit descends so that the faithful may unite themselves with Christ through the energy of the Holy Spirit.
Let us reiterate that the request it for the Holy Spirit to descend not only upon the Gifts offered, but also, ultimately, upon those who present the gifts, the holy people of God. This is quite remarkable! "The final and defining purpose of the epicletic summoning of the Holy Spirit, then, is not the consecration of the bread and wine, but the consecration of human beings. The Risen Christ does not assume the form of the consecrated bread and wine in order to hid in a tabernacle, but in order to be eaten and drunk, that He may abide in us and we in Him (John 6:56).
The ultimate purpose of the consecration of the Holy Gifts is to give life (i.e., the Lord, Who is Life) [John 14:6) to those who partake of them in faith and purity. "We call upon the Holy Spirit asking precisely the transfiguration of our life, the incorruptibility of our life: to change the gifts and those who partake of them into a new creation, freed from death--to the Body of Christ.
"...And upon these Gifts here presented..."
The change is taking place by the Grace of the Holy Spirit Who descends upon the gifts offered by the invocation (epiclesis) of the priest and with the participation of the entire congregation, which must be represented even if by one person alone.
"...And make this bread the Precious Body of Thy Christ..."
(He blesses the Holy Bread)
People: Amen.
Priest: ...And that which is in this Cup the Precious Blood of Thy Christ..."
People: Amen.
Priest: "...changing them..."
[Real Presence]
The faith of the Church, since the very beginning, has been that the bread and wine offered are changed into the Body and Blood of the Lord. The Orthodox Church has always understood the words of the Lord, "This is My Body...This is My Blood." quite literally, because her Divine Founder meant it that way. How do we know? He said clearly in public: "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53). And to drive this point across He repeated these words a few times over. Justifiably, as "many of His disciples" that did not trust fully in Him took offense at His words, and so "drew back and no longer went about with Him" (John 6:66).
"This is My Body...This is My Blood." This was not allegorical talk. It was not a parable in action, it was not a figure of speech. It was not symbolic language, it was realistic talk. "This is what I received from the Lord and in turn passed on to you," Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:23-24).
"...by Thy Holy Spirit..."
"Christ, Who offered Himself without blemish to God through the Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14) by the good will of the Father, offers Himself to us through the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit prepared the way for the Coming of Christ by "speaking through the Prophets". The Incarnation of Jesus Christ was accomplished through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descends upon the Disciples "as of tongues of fire" (Acts 2:3). The change of the Eucharistic elements into the Body and Blood of Christ is accomplished through the Holy Spirit. Instead of calling upon the Holy Spirit to sanctify the Gifts, God the Father is called upon to send His Holy Spirit. Who remains hidden, acting only through His Uncreated Grace.
The Holy Spirit continues the Mission of Jesus Christ in the world, being with us at every Holy Mysterion (Sacrament), but in a unique way in Holy Communion. Our sanctification is accomplished through Him. Without His activity in us, our souls would be dead. In fact, without the Holy Spirit we would be unable to perform any worthy deeds. It is the Grace of the Holy Spirit that "makes us partake of, and commune with God". The Holy Spirit is Divine, that is why It sanctifies us and deifies us (theosis).
Not the words alone, but also the actions affect the change. The sign of the Cross seals the Divine Gifts, together with our Amen, completing the change. The change and all the benefits that come from it "He confers on us by the power of the blessing, through which He changes the nature of the visible elements into that immortal body." (Source: The Heavenly Banquet. Understanding the Divine Liturgy by Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis)
_______________
Please note: After one understands what takes place at the Divine Liturgy it becomes clear that God the Holy Spirit is He Who bestows His Grace upon the Orthodox Christian believers. The Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of Truth." The Holy Spirit works only within the authentic church of Christ, the Orthodox Church. How can the Spirit of Truth act or guide those within the heretical groups which spread falsehood, heresy, division, confusion, and blasphemy against Him? The heretic is not only an enemy of the Truth. but also the enemy of God the Holy Spirit.
God the Holy Spirit is present! As God, He is present to inspire us, to bestow His grace upon us, to bring us healing, forgiveness, and to reconcile us with Him. He is present to guide us, to teach us how to pray, how to live a virtuous life, how to unite us with Him, how to work out our salvation, and to give life to us, how to attain the Kingdom of Heaven, how to become good samaritans to our fellow man, how to resist evil, sin, and death. The Holy Spirit is present to sanctify us and to make it possible for us to be reborn "through water and Him, the Holy Spirit".
How can anyone within the Church ever doubt His real presence? How can anyone fear, that either Holy Communion, or the instruments used to bestow upon us forgiveness of sins and eternal life, bring instead, illness and death? The Holy Spirit is the Life-giving and Life-creating Spirit. The Adversary and the true enemy of man is none other than Satan, it is he who brings death and destruction.
____________________
"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom
+++
With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God,
+Father George