奧秘要理 第 2-1 章 第 2/2 段

"If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go first, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift." Therefore the kiss is reconciliation, and for this reason it is holy, as the blessed Paul somewhere cried out, saying:

"Greet one another with a holy kiss," and Peter:

"Greet one another with a kiss of love." After this the priest cries out:

"Lift up your hearts." For truly, in that most awesome hour, one ought to have his heart on high toward God, and not below toward the earth and earthly things.

In effect, the priest at that hour bids all to lay aside the cares of this life and household anxieties, and to have their heart in heaven toward the God who loves mankind.

"We lift them up to the Lord," assenting to this by the things you confess.

But let no one be present such as to say with the mouth:

"We lift them up to the Lord," while in mind he has his thought upon the cares of this life.

God, indeed, ought always to be remembered;

but if this is impossible because of human weakness, then in that hour above all this ought to be earnestly pursued.

"Let us give thanks to the Lord." For truly we ought to give thanks, because, while we were unworthy, He called us to so great a grace; because, while we were enemies, He reconciled us; because He counted us worthy of the Spirit of adoption.

"It is meet and right." For in giving thanks we do a meet and right thing;

but He, doing not merely what is right but above what is right, did us good and counted us worthy of such great blessings.

After these things we make mention of heaven, and earth, and sea, of sun and moon, of stars, of all creation rational and irrational, visible and invisible, of angels, archangels, powers, dominions, principalities, authorities, thrones, of the many-faced cherubim, in effect saying the word of David:

"Magnify the Lord with me." We make mention also of the seraphim, whom Isaiah beheld in the Holy Spirit standing around the throne of God, and with two wings covering the face, and with two the feet, and with two flying, and saying:

"Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Sabaoth." For we say this doxology that has been handed down to us from the seraphim, that we may become partakers of the hymnody together with the supramundane hosts.

Then, having sanctified ourselves through these spiritual hymns, we entreat the God who loves mankind to send forth the Holy Spirit upon the gifts set forth, that He may make the bread the body of Christ, and the wine the blood of Christ;

for whatever the Holy Spirit touches, that is sanctified and changed.

Then, after the spiritual sacrifice, the bloodless service, has been completed, over that sacrifice of propitiation we entreat God for the common peace of the churches, for the stability of the world, for kings, for armies and allies, for those in sickness, for those who are afflicted, and, in a word, for all who need help; and all of us, making this supplication, offer this sacrifice.

Then we make mention also of those who have fallen asleep—first patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs—that God, by their prayers and intercessions, may receive our supplication.

Then also on behalf of the holy fathers and bishops who have fallen asleep, and in a word all who have fallen asleep before us, believing it to be of the greatest benefit to the souls on whose behalf the supplication is offered, while the holy and most awesome sacrifice lies before us.

And I wish to persuade you by an example.

For I know that many say this:

"What benefit is it to a soul that departs from this world with sins, or without sins, if it is remembered at the offering?" Now, if a king were to send into exile those who had offended him, and then their relatives, having woven a crown, were to present it to him on behalf of those under punishment, would he not grant them a remission of their penalties? In the same way we too, offering our supplications to Him on behalf of those who have fallen asleep, even if they are sinners, do not weave a crown, but offer Christ slain for our sins, propitiating the God who loves mankind on their behalf and on our own.

Then, after these things, you say that prayer which the Saviour delivered to His own disciples, with a pure conscience naming God your Father and saying:

"Our Father, who art in the heavens." O the surpassing loving-kindness of God!

—amnesty and a share in grace, so as even to call upon Him as Father.

"Our Father, who art in the heavens."

And "heavens" would also be those who bear the image of the Heavenly One, in whom God dwells and walks about.

"Hallowed be Your name." The name of God is holy by nature, whether we say so or not.

But since among those who sin it is sometimes profaned, according to the words, "Because of you My name is continually blasphemed among the nations," we pray that the name of God may be hallowed in us;

not that it comes to be holy from not being holy, but that it becomes holy in us, who are being sanctified and doing things worthy of sanctification.

"Your kingdom come." It belongs to a pure soul to say with boldness:

For he who has heard Paul saying:

"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body," but has cleansed himself in deed and thought and word, will say to God:

"Your kingdom come." "Your will be done, as in heaven, so also upon the earth." The divine and blessed angels of God do the will of God, as David sang, saying:

"Bless the Lord, all you His angels, mighty in strength, who do His word." In effect, then, praying this, you say:

"As among the angels Your will is done, so also upon the earth let it be done in me, O Master."

"Give us this day our daily (epiousios) bread." This common bread is not "epiousios";

but this holy bread is "epiousios," in the sense of being appointed for the substance (ousia) of the soul.

This bread does not pass into the belly and get cast out into the latrine, but is distributed into your whole constitution for the benefit of soul and body.

And "this day" he says instead of "day by day," as Paul also said:

"As long as it is called Today." "And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." We have many sins;

for we stumble both in word and in thought, and do very many things worthy of condemnation.

And if we say that we have no sin, we lie, as John says.

And we make a covenant with God, entreating Him to forgive us our sins, as we also forgive our neighbours their debts.

Considering, therefore, in return for what we receive what blessings, let us not delay nor put off forgiving one another.

The offences committed against us are small and trifling and easily resolved, but those committed by us against God are great, and we need only His loving-kindness.

Take heed, therefore, lest because of the small and trifling sins against you, you shut off from yourself the forgiveness of your weightiest sins from God.

"And do not lead us into temptation, O Lord."

Does the Lord, then, teach us to pray that we may not be tempted at all? And how is it said elsewhere:

"A man untried is unproved," and again:

"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various trials"? But perhaps to "enter into temptation" means to be overwhelmed by the temptation;

for temptation resembles a kind of torrent difficult to cross.

Those, then, who are not overwhelmed in temptations pass across, becoming, as it were, excellent swimmers and not at all swept away by it.

But those who are not such, on entering, are overwhelmed;

as, for example, Judas, entering into the temptation of the love of money, did not swim across, but, being overwhelmed, was drowned both bodily and spiritually.

Peter entered into the temptation of denial, but on entering was not overwhelmed; rather, he swam across nobly and was delivered from the temptation.

Hear again, elsewhere, a chorus of perfect saints giving thanks for being delivered from temptation:

"You have tested us, O God; You have tried us as silver is tried by fire;

You have brought us into the snare;

You have laid afflictions upon our back;

You have caused men to ride over our heads.

We went through fire and water, and You brought us out into refreshment." You see them speaking boldly because they passed through and were not fixed fast? "And You brought us out into refreshment";

this is to be delivered from temptation.

"But deliver us from the evil one." If "Do not lead us into temptation" had meant being kept from being tempted at all, He would not have said:

"But deliver us from the evil one." And the evil one is the adversary demon, from whom we pray to be delivered.

Then, after the completion of the prayer, you say "Amen," sealing by the "Amen"—which means "so be it"—the things contained in the prayer taught by God.

After these things the priest says:

"Holy are the things set forth, having received the descent of the Holy Spirit;

holy also are you, who have been counted worthy of the Holy Spirit.

The holy things, therefore, are suited to the holy.

"One is holy, one is Lord, Jesus Christ."

For truly One is holy, holy by nature;

for we, even if holy, yet are so not by nature, but by participation and discipline and prayer.

After these things you hear the chanter, with a divine melody, inviting you to the communion of the holy mysteries, and saying:

"Taste and see that the Lord is good." Do not entrust the judgment to your bodily palate, but to faith that does not waver;

for in tasting you do not taste bread and wine, but the antitype of the body and blood of Christ.

When you approach, then, do not come with your palms outstretched, nor with your fingers parted;

but making your left hand a throne for the right, since it is about to receive the King, and hollowing your palm, receive the body of Christ, saying "Amen."

Then, having with care sanctified your eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake, taking heed lest you lose any part of it;

for whatever you lose, this you suffer loss of as though from your own member.

For tell me, if someone gave you flakes of gold, would you not hold them with all care, guarding lest you lose any of them and suffer loss? Will you not, then, much more carefully watch, over what is far more precious than gold and precious stones, lest a crumb fall? Then, after you have communed of the body of Christ, approach also the cup of the blood, not stretching out your hands, but bowing, and in the manner of worship and reverence saying "Amen," be sanctified, partaking also of the blood of Christ.

And while the moisture is still upon your lips, touching it with your hands, sanctify also your eyes and forehead and the rest of your senses.

Then, waiting for the prayer, give thanks to God who has counted you worthy of such great mysteries.

Hold fast these traditions unstained, and keep yourselves without offence;

do not cut yourselves off from the communion, do not, through the defilement of sin, deprive yourselves of these sacred and spiritual mysteries.

And may the God of peace sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory unto the ages of the ages.