Слово первое в пяток недели 6-й Великого поста

“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Ps. 33:9) These precious words are never proclaimed so often as during Holy and Great Lent. We hear them twice a week, that is, at every presanctified liturgy. And indeed, if ever it is appropriate for them to be repeated often, then in real weeks; for at the end of each of them a rich meal is arranged for all who wish to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord. Where can one more see all the goodness of the Lord, if not at this divine meal? It seems to me that the greatest and most obvious proof of one’s goodness could not have been given to people by God Himself. For, tell me, what else could be done? “There is no greater... love,” the Savior Himself said, “but whoever lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13); for others only, but what were we to God when His Only Begotten Son laid down His soul for us on the cross? They were sinners, therefore, enemies of God, and, moreover, those who did not think at all about reconciliation. And so, for these irreconcilable enemies, not for friends and relatives, the Only Begotten Son of God laid down His soul. This is already the height of love, which cannot be found in the whole world. But He, as God, ascended even higher with His love towards us: for in His wisdom He invented the means of laying down His soul for us, one might say, not just once, but many times. For what is done in each liturgy? What happened on Golgotha ​​is repeated in sacred mystery; repeats itself to the point that in the most pure Mysteries He is again sacrificed for us, not only figuratively and reminiscently, but with full strength and effect. Therefore, what was brought does not remain a simple symbol of His Body and Blood, but turns into this very Body and this very Blood; so that the Divine Body of the Savior, which once hung on the cross and was buried by Joseph, which now sits on the throne at the right hand of the Father, appears on our thrones and altars. One such presence and appearance of the Body of Christ before us already shows the greatest excess of His love for us. But He was not satisfied with this, and what does He do? That which we ourselves could not even imagine - gives Himself over in the guise of bread and wine for everyone to eat! We don’t know whether Saint David foresaw this when he proclaimed: “Taste and see that the Lord is good”! But we who see, we who taste, what should we think and feel at the same time? Shouldn't our whole being tremble with love, wonder and gratitude? Truly, if people die of joy, then it would not be surprising if someone, after receiving the Mysteries of the Lord, suddenly freed himself from bodily bonds and moved from faith to a blessed vision. At the same time, think about the one to whom this Divine gift is offered, to whom it is said, taste and see! Not just the chosen ones, not the prophets and apostles, not the martyrs and ascetics, not the fasters and virgins, but all, the very last sinners. The Lord, even now, just as at the last supper, knows that not all of those who approach His mysteries are pure (John 13:10); He knows that not one, but many will betray Him, and only a small part will remain faithful: and, despite this uncleanness of almost everyone, this unfaithfulness of many who come, He does not reject anyone from His supper; He gives everyone the same Body and the same – His own Blood. If such a miracle of love were done only once; if, that is, each of us were given only once in our lives to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord: and then we would not have anything to thank the Lord with. But we are all provided with this benefit for the rest of our lives: come whenever you want, eat as much as you like, in the church and at home, in your home and on the way, on land and water, day and night, at any hour. Tell me, would it even be possible to believe this if the clear words of the Lord Himself did not vouch for it? – Here we learn that each of God’s perfections has no measure or limit: omnipotence – it scatters myriads of suns and stars without counting; wisdom - she creates by number, weight and measure every blade of grass in the field; justice - it does not leave a single repentant sigh without reward, and not a single unclean look without punishment; goodness - it is not satisfied with putting the stamp of generosity on all its deeds, giving food to all flesh, but finally it itself incarnates in order to give itself as food to the faithful. And after this, some may still reach despair in God’s mercy and think that the Heavenly Father may lack love when they resort to Him with faith and repentance? – Such thoughts, if they come to someone, come mostly from the enemy of our salvation, who usually acts in such a way that, when we live in lawlessness, he represents sin as an unimportant thing, about which the King of heaven and earth, by His very greatness, does not seem to care; and when he sees that we begin to repent of our sins and decide to break the bonds of passions, he portrays God as an unmerciful judge, and our sins as completely unforgivable. When such thoughts of despair come to you, repentant sinner, then, having protected yourself with the sign of the cross, immediately remember the Sacrament of Holy Communion, and say: is it possible that the One who gives me to eat His Body and Blood would reject my repentance? Why does He feed me, unworthy; By Himself, if not in order to heal, have mercy and justify? Say so, and continue your work of repentance in peace. The Lord is good to everyone, but first and most of all to repentant sinners. Amen. You might be interested in: