AppendixThe "Jesus" PrayerO Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner.The "Jesus" Prayer may be used at any time of the day or night. Also, it may be used as a basis for mental prayer by repeating it frequently, with reverence, and contemplating all of its deep spiritual implications. This prayer is in extensive use by many Monks of our Orthodox-Catholic Church. The Angelic SalutationHail! Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, O Virgin Theotokos: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.Prayer to the All-Holy TrinityThe Father is my hope; the Son is my refuge; the Holy Spirit is my protector. O All-Holy Trinity, glory to thee.Prayer before the Icon of ChristWe reverence thy spotless icon, O gracious Lord, and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ our God: for of thine own good will thou wast pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that thou mightest deliver from bondage to the enemy those whom thou hadst fashioned. Wherefore, we cry aloud unto thee: thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Saviour, for thou didst come to save the world.Prayer Before the Icon of the TheotokosForasmuch as thou art a well-spring of tenderness, O Theotokos, make us worthy of compassion; Look upon a sinful people; Manifest thy power as ever, for hoping on thee we cry aloud unto thee: Hail! as once did Gabriel, Chief Captain of the Bodiless Powers.The Lord's Words of InstitutionPicture, if you will, the Last Supper. Twelve men and Christ seated about a table. None but the Christ knew of the impending events which were soon to take place, yet all felt a strange and unexplainable atmosphere within the room. Something great was to take place at that Supper and they felt it.The third great part of God's plan for man's redemption was to occur during that evening's meal: the first being Christ's birth - the Incarnation; the second His Baptism by John in the Jordan - Baptism, which by His own example, being man's first essential step towards salvation. On that wonderful, yet sad, Thursday night so long ago, Christ gave man an opportunity to share in His own Divinity in a most unique and special way. Christ, being both the Victim and Victor, gave Himself to man under the earthly forms of bread and wine. It was a most serious occasion, too serious for the Christ to entertain any ideas of jesting, He intended that the words He was to speak, the sacred action He was about to institute left nothing to anyone's imagination. He simply took bread, blessed it and told the Apostles, "This IS My Body, take, eat;" and then took a cup of wine, blessed it and told the Apostles, "This IS My Blood, take, drink." "Unless ye eat of my Body and drink of My Blood," He said, "ye shall not have life in you;" meaning, of course spiritual life, His life, the life of eternal salvation. By His Words, by His Action, the Christ instituted the Holy Sacrament
of the Eucharist - the Holy Communion. The Divine Liturgy is of His institution,
not man's and is the perpetual continuation of Christ giving Himself to
man under the form of Bread and Wine. It is not just a remembrance of something
that happened long ago, nor, is it only a memorial of His Great Sacrifice.
It is the Sacramental Christ coming to all who approach His Holy Altar.
The early Christians knew and understood, and the early Church Fathers
taught that the Liturgy is the one vehicle through which man has an actual
living contact with Christ and the events which took place at the Upper
Room and upon Calvary. The Orthodox Church of Christ has preserved that
heritage in an unbroken continuity of the Apostolic ministry inherited
from Christ through His Holy Apostles and their successors, the bishops
of the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Orthodox Church.
Return to the full table of contents. Return to the Western Rite Liturgy Page. Return to the Gregorian Rite Page. |
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