The Shepherd, October 2006
“O Lord, I Have Loved The Beauty of Thy House”, 4
After communing, one should wipe one’s mouth with the communion cloth, and kiss the Holy Chalice, but refrain from kissing the priest’s hand or the icons, until after one has had the zapifka (the hot water and wine, and prosphora that is on the table off to side of the church).
Children in Church
The Scriptures teach us that children are a blessing from the Lord. A parish without children is a parish that is dying. We want to encourage families with children to come to our parish, and we also want to help parents with their children. Even the best behaved children are going to make some noise, and we have to accept this part of having a growing parish. If one sees parents having difficulty keeping their children under control, one should offer help, rather than just criticism. Parents with children should also do their part to maintain an atmosphere conducive to prayer in the church, and to teach their children how to behave reverently in the house of God.
Prosphora
Prosphora is holy bread, and should be treated as such. It should be eaten only when one has fasted from midnight, and one should be careful not to drop crumbs on the floor. With children, this presents some difficulty, because we don’t want to deprive children of the blessing of this bread, but children also tend to be less careful with it. Parents should teach their children to handle prosphora appropriately, and smaller children should be given smaller portions. Very small children should probably just be fed a small amount by their parents.
Kissing the Cross
At the end of the Liturgy, when approaching the Cross, one should first make the sign of the Cross, then kiss the Cross, and finally the priest’s hand.
Post Communion Prayers
After the kissing of the Cross, the post communion prayers are read. These prayers can also be said privately, but those who have communed are encouraged to stay for these prayers of thanksgiving for the blessing of having been allowed to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. In the Gospels, Christ healed ten lepers, but only one came back to thank Him. We should ensure that we either stay for the reading of these prayers immediately after the Liturgy, or say them privately as soon as otherwise possible, lest we be guilty of ingratitude to God. During their reading, we should not assume that the service is over and start talking.
Trapeza and Fellowship After the Liturgy
Having a communal meal after the Liturgy is an ancient practice that goes back to the time of the Apostles, and is mentioned in several places in the New Testament, where it is spoken of as the “agape meal” or “love feast.” This meal, and the fellowship that goes with it, is an extension of the Liturgy, and so all who can stay should do so. In this country we often encounter few Orthodox Christians outside of the context of church, and so we need to endeavour to strengthen our relationships with one another. The parish is an extended family, and we should work to make our ties with each other strong, so that we may encourage one another to live for Christ, in a world in which that is increasingly difficult to do.
|
