Follow the remembrance of the whole Church, the final petitions, and the Lord’s Prayer as we prepare for Communion.
Read the introduction, using “Terms used in this lesson” for unfamiliar words.
Read the four Scripture selections in order: abiding in Christ, one body in the Spirit, the throne of grace, and the children of God.
Read the three Fathers’ comments on commemoration, Christ’s holiness, and forgiving others.
Try an optional study question and keep a prayer, observation, or question in your notes.
Terms used in this lesson
Diptychs
Here, formal lists of names used for commemoration in the Liturgy. They express the Church’s remembrance and prayer before God.
Commemoration
Liturgical remembrance of the Theotokos, the saints, and the faithful living and departed. Particular names are held within the prayer of the whole Church.
Church triumphant / Church militant
Names for the saints in heavenly glory and the faithful still striving on earth. They describe the whole Church gathered in Christ, not two unrelated communities.
Theotokos
“Birthgiver of God,” the title of the Virgin Mary because the One born of her is truly God. She receives special honor in the commemorations after the consecration of the gifts.
Hierarch
A bishop. The commemoration of the local hierarch expresses the parish’s life within the wider Church.
“The holy things for the holy”
The invitation before Communion. The people answer that Jesus Christ alone is holy; those who receive the gifts depend on Him for their sanctification.
Remembering the whole Church
Diptychs are, in this case, formal lists of commemoration. In general, this segment of the liturgy is one of remembrance of the whole Church—the Church triumphant and the Church militant—in connection with the consecration of the gifts. The Theotokos takes primacy of honor here. Commemoration of the local hierarch. These commemorations are more extensive in the anaphora of St. Basil. Final litany and entrusting of our lives to God. The Lord’s Prayer.
Read these four selections in order, noticing life in Christ, the unity of the Church, confidence in God’s mercy, and our calling as His children.
John 6:56
NKJV (Orthodox Study Bible New Testament) · Verses 54–57
Jesus is speaking in the synagogue at Capernaum about the bread of life. He promises life and abiding communion to those who receive His flesh and blood.
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
The Church’s remembrance of the living and departed belongs within its life in Christ. As we prepare for Communion, hear the promise that our life comes from Him.
NKJV (Orthodox Study Bible New Testament) · Verses 12–14
St. Paul explains the variety of spiritual gifts by comparing the Church to a body. Many members belong together because they share the one Spirit.
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.
The diptychs recall a Church larger than the people we can see around us. Our common life is a gift of the Spirit, not a collection of isolated individuals.
NKJV (Orthodox Study Bible New Testament) · Verses 14–16
The letter names Jesus as our great High Priest. Because He knows our weakness and is without sin, believers are invited to approach God for mercy and help.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The final petitions and the Lord’s Prayer bring our needs before God with trust. Our confidence rests in Christ’s mercy, while the response “One is holy” keeps us humble.
NKJV (Orthodox Study Bible New Testament) · Verses 1–3
St. John speaks of the Father’s love, our present identity as His children, and the hope of seeing Christ when He is revealed. That hope calls for a life of purity now.
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
We address God as “Our Father” and approach the holy gifts as people called into His life. The prayer and the preparation for Communion join hope with the way we live.
The whole Church remembered. One is holy. Forgive as we forgive.
Follow the commemorations, the common confession of Christ’s holiness, and the forgiveness we ask of the Father.
St. Symeon of Thessaloniki
The Liturgical Commentaries: On the Sacred Liturgy · §143 · Course handbook, p. 18.
St. Symeon is describing the commemorations after the invocation of the Holy Spirit over the gifts. The Church remembers the saints and the departed, gives special honor to the Theotokos, and joins the bishop’s prayer in praise of the Trinity.
After the sacred-service, the commemoration of all through the saving element of the sacrifice and the proclamation of the saints occur, because they suffered along with him and now are glorified with him. Especially, the all holy and only Theotokos is commemorated, because both now and then, salvation is the same for the whole world. We all sing her praises, since through her we hope for salvation. After the commemoration of all, the petition by the bishop as a final seal on the petitions of all to grant that “with one mouth and one heart” we may glorify Him, God in the Trinity.
The diptychs express the unity of the Church around Christ’s saving sacrifice. Our commemoration of particular people belongs within the shared thanksgiving and prayer of the whole Church.
How do the commemorations gather the whole Church into one voice of praise?
St. Symeon of Thessaloniki
The Liturgical Commentaries: Explanation of the Divine Temple · §93, two excerpts · Course handbook, p. 18.
Before Communion, the celebrant proclaims “The holy things for the holy,” and the people confess that Jesus Christ alone is holy. St. Symeon connects their united response with the confession of Christ at the last day.
The people cry out in unison: “One is holy, one is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.” Paul says this will be proclaimed on the last day, when “every knee will bend” to Jesus, and “every tongue will confess” that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, from this, a common unity of all the faithful is confessed... But the “One is holy...” said in response to “The holy things for the holy,” declares first the absolute holiness of God and that from him is the sanctification of all those being sanctified. On the other hand, it stands for humility: for who of us is pure, or who is holy? Only one is holy, the one Christ, who will sanctify us in his love for humanity.
The Church approaches Communion with confidence in Christ and humility about ourselves. The holiness we seek comes from Him, and our common confession draws us together in that dependence.
St. Cyril is explaining the Lord’s Prayer to the newly baptized as part of his account of the Eucharistic liturgy. This petition joins our request for God’s mercy with our forgiveness of other people.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive our debtors”. Great is the loving-kindness of God, who after so many sins and transgressions grants forgiveness. But there is one condition: that we ourselves forgive our brethren. Therefore, let us not deprive ourselves of so great a blessing by refusing forgiveness to others.
The Lord’s Prayer prepares us to receive Communion through a life shaped by mercy. Asking forgiveness also calls us to release the debts we hold against our neighbors.
Whom do you need to forgive as you ask the Father for forgiveness?
Further studyAdditional Scripture and early Christian teaching
Explore these optional readings and commentaries alongside the lesson.
Additional Scripture readings
Luke 1:46–50
NKJV (Orthodox Study Bible New Testament) · Opening of the Theotokos’s song
The Theotokos visits St. Elizabeth, who blesses her and the Child she carries. The Theotokos answers by praising God for His mercy and the great things He has done.
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.”
The Church’s special honor for the Theotokos joins her own praise of God. “All generations will call me blessed” helps us hear her commemoration within thanksgiving for the Incarnation.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches His disciples how to pray to the Father. He immediately follows the prayer with an instruction about forgiving others.
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Read the prayer together with Christ’s explanation, then return to St. Cyril’s commentary. The request for forgiveness asks something of our relationships as well as our words.
Homily 3 on Philippians · Concluding exhortation on Philippians 1:24
St. John moves from St. Paul’s hope of being with Christ to the Church’s care for those who have died. He urges prayer and almsgiving for the departed, then explains their remembrance during the Eucharist.
Not in vain did the Apostles order that remembrance should be made of the dead in the dreadful Mysteries.
Remembering the departed in the diptychs is an act of prayerful care. The Church brings them before God while Christ’s saving sacrifice is set before the gathered faithful.
St. Cyril has described the priest’s invitation to receive the holy gifts and the people’s response, “One is Holy, One is the Lord, Jesus Christ.” He explains how Christ’s unique holiness can also be shared by those who receive Him.
For One is truly holy, by nature holy; we too are holy, but not by nature, only by participation, and discipline, and prayer.
This deepens St. Symeon’s explanation of “One is holy.” We approach the gifts because Christ makes us participants in His holiness; prayer and a faithful life express our response to His gift.
