Key to our understanding of the Divine Liturgy is our understanding of the idea of Anamnesis. This word is taken from the Attic Greek word ἀνάμνησις meaning “reminiscence” or “memorial sacrifice”. In Christian worship it is the liturgical statement in which the Church refers to the memorial character of the Eucharist, that is to the Passion, Resurrection and also the Ascension of Christ. It has its origin in Jesus’ words at the Last Supper, “Do this in memory of me” (Greek: “τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν“), (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24-25). It is a key concept in liturgical theology. In worship the faithful recall God’s saving deeds. This memorial aspect is not simply a passive process but one by which the Christian can actually enter into the Paschal mystery. It truly signifies our belief that when we recall all that God did for us through the Person of Jesus Christ, we, like the disciples of Christ before us, actually participate in those events.

I realize that this is a very difficult idea to comprehend. How can it be that we actually participate in the past events of salvation history. We think of them as past events! How can they be events which are present to us. It is an act of actualizing past events in our life – concentrating on them and be-lieving that we are actually a part of them in some way. This all requires, as you might immediately guess, faith and a deep sense of God’s presence in our lives. Remember, we can’t prove that any of this is true or that it actually happens. We believe it happens and I would add my faith that I truly believe that it happens. We just don’t know when and only know that the Holy Trinity causes it to be.

Of course this is why many refuse to believe in the true presence. I also believe that sometimes people misunderstand this faith mystery since we always talk about “body” and “blood” and fail to state that “Christ” is truly present. Remember what we pray: “For we do not bow to flesh and blood but to You, our awesome God.” For Christ to be present it cannot be just the accidents of His human person but must be Him as a person. He told His disciples that He would be with us for all time. He is with us by His real presence in Communion. Again I must hasten to assert that this is something WE BELIEVE and not something that we can prove. I, for one, choose to believe in His real presence. I hope you do too.