In the last issue of the article I introduced the notion of the interpretation of the Liturgy. I also raised this question in an indirect manner in last week’s sermon. What is our religion all about, especially that communal ritual that we call the Divine Liturgy. I suspect that most people don’t really think about its meaning or spend time attempting to interpret what it is all about. I also suspect that most people have very unique ideas about what the Liturgy is all about. I must confess that I too hadn’t given much thought to an    interpretation of the Liturgy until I began sharing with you all the ideas of the Fathers of the Church.

I think where any real interpretation must begin is with answering the question: Why did God become a human being? In studying the writings of Dionysius. He said: God, in his love for man, took on him our human nature, sin only excepted, so that we might be united to his divine nature. Dionysius felt that man’s mind is enlightened, his soul freed from impure passions and his union with God brought to its fullest extent possible in and during the Divine Liturgy. Of course this requires the person celebrating the Liturgy to be fully focused on the celebration and doing all in his power to be a full participant. Union with God is not forced upon us. It is only offered. In order to achieve this union, we must do everything we can to allow the offered union to take place. This can be achieved by our full participation in the Liturgy. Think about it! In the Liturgy we can we receive what has been called Holy Communion. What is Holy Communion? It is union with the One Who alone is holy, God.

We know that we are incapable of actually apprehending this union with God. It is communicated to us by means of symbols. What greater symbol can there be than the Holy Communion of which we partake – the transformed bread and wine! While the symbols – that which we can see – still remain bread and wine, our faith tells us that what we partake of is really the Body and Blood of Christ, Who is God and man. We can only believe this!

The Divine Liturgy is the visible ritual that tells us that our faith can bring us into union with our God. It also tells us quite clearly another truth, namely that God’s own life is within us. Human life is a sharing in Divine Life.

This is, of course, a mystery. There is truly no real way that we can understand this without faith. While the West would find philosophical words to tell us how bread and wine can become the Body and Blood of Christ, these words cannot, in any real way, diminish the mystery which is Holy Communion. You are encouraged to believe, when you receive Communion, that you are united to God in/with others.

Mystical Supper