This month, as well all know, is graced by the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, which falls on the 15th of August (28 August NS). On this most sacred of all the feasts of the Most Holy Mother of God, we glorify her bodily repose, the reception of her pure soul by Her Divine Son, and her bodily resurrection and translation to heaven. Such is the Church’s reverence for this holy feast, that in ancient times the Fathers established a preparatory fast of two weeks, from 1 August through 14 August. The strictness of Great Lent characterizes this fast, during which we chant the beautiful Paraklesis to Our Most Holy Lady, that she may aid our spiritual struggles and cover every aspect of our lives with the protection of her allpowerful prayers.
This fast is also an ideal time to prepare to receive the Most Pure Mystery of Holy Communion. This is the most fitting way to honor the Most Holy Virgin. She accepts our hymns; she helps us in fasting and the giving of alms; she receives the offerings we bring to the Church to honor her all-pure repose. Yet there is something higher and more fitting she desires from us, not for her glory but for our good, and not merely good but infinite and inestimable grace and salvation: to receive the Life-giving Body and Blood of her Divine Son.
It was for this that God chose the Holy Virgin from all eternity, it was for this that she said yes to the Archangel, it was for this that she bore the Lamb that would take away the sin of the world: that we might be united most intimately to the God-Man through receiving His sacrificed flesh risen from the dead and giving life to all who receive Him with the fear of God, faith, and love. It is precisely this that gives us eternal life: Whoso eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the Last Day (John 6: 54). It is this that makes us the friend and intimate of Christ: He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood dwelleth in Me, and I in him (John 6: 56). Without this, there is no living relationship to Christ and no salvation: Verily, verily, I say unto you, unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have no life in you (John 6: 53).
Recently, we celebrated the feast of St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain (14/27 July). This Holy Father of modern times, along with St. Makarios of Corinth, was a fervent preacher and teacher of the necessity of frequently receiving Holy Communion. He collaborated with St. Makarios in writing a little book called Concerning Continual Communion of the Divine Mysteries which sparked a great revival in his time among the Orthodox Greek people, a revival of the practice of f requently preparing for and receiving Holy Communion. One of the main points of the book is that the reception of Holy Communion is not an isolated act; rather, the struggle to receive Communion frequently and to preserve what we have received transforms our whole way of life. Here are some of the saints’ words:
The Christian receives great benefit from the Divine Mysteries, both in his soul and in his body, before he communes, at the time when he communes, and after he has communed. Before he communes, he must make the necessary preparation, that is, he must confess to his spiritual father, correct himself, feel compunction, acquire inner attention, guard himself from passionate thoughts as far as possible, and also from every other vice...And who can apprehend all the gifts which a Christian receives from Divine Communion when he communes? How can our weak language describe them one by one? Through Holy Communion the mind is illumined, the intellect is brightened, all the powers of the soul are purified, the passions of the flesh are deadened, and the love for God is kindled...After one has communed, reflecting on what dreadful heavenly Mysteries he has received, he watches lest he dishonor the grace. He is cautious, circumpect, guards his thoughts, begins a stricter and more virtuous life, and abstains as far as he can from every evil.
Just such a pure life is the best gift we can offer to the All-Pure Theotokos on Her Holy Dormition. May it be so for each of us!
The True Food of Christians
Holy Communion illumines, brightens, and sanctifies all the powers and senses of man’s soul and body, and strengthens the soul in doing the commandments of the Lord and every other virtuous act. It is the true food of the soul and of the body, as our Lord says: “My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed” (John 6:55).
Common bread is improperly called our daily bread, because it strengthens only our body and not our soul. Properly and principally the term “daily bread” denotes the Body of the our Lord and the Word of God, because they strengthen the soul as well as the body. For this reason, those of us who have received spiritual regeneration through Divine Baptism must continually eat this spiritual food with warm love and a contrite heart.
All Orthodox Christians are commnded to receive Holy Communion frequently, firstly by the injunction of Our Lord Jesus Christ; secondly, by the acts and Canons of the Holy Apostles and the holy Synods, and the statements of individual divine Fathers; thirdly, by the very words, order, and ritual of the sacred Liturgy; and fourthly, by Holy Communion itself.
My brother, if you are worthy to commune two or three times a year, you are worthy to commune more often, as the divine Chrysostom says, provided you keep the same preparation and worthiness. What then, hinders us from communing more often? Our negligence, our indolence, overcome by which we do not prepare ourselves as much as possible for Communion.
-- from Concerning Continual Communion by St. Makarios of Corinth and St. Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain