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And before a Christian receives Communion, and when he receives Communion, and after he receives Communion, he receives great benefit from the Divine Mysteries for both soul and body. Before anyone receives communion, he needs to make the proper preparation, that is, he confesses to his spiritual father, is contrite, corrected, moved, acquires attention to his spiritual life, is protected from passionate thoughts, as far as possible, and from any other evil. In the same way, he abstains, prays, stays awake, becomes more reverent and performs every other good deed, reflecting on what terrible King he is about to receive into himself, and especially when he thinks about the fact that, whatever preparation he makes, the same grace will be given to him from Holy Communion. Obviously, the more often one does this kind of preparation, the more benefits one receives. When a Christian receives communion, who can comprehend what gifts and gifts are given to him from Divine Communion? Or how can our weak tongue convey this in order? Therefore, let us bring again the divine and sacred teachers of the Church so that they can tell us everything in order with their eloquent and God-inspired lips. Gregory the Theologian says: “The Most Sacred Body of Christ, when well received, is a weapon for those at war, a return for those moving away from God, strengthens the weak, cheers the healthy, cures illnesses, preserves health, thanks to it we are more easily corrected, in labor and sorrow we become more patient, in love - more ardent, in knowledge - more refined, in obedience - more ready, for the actions of grace - more receptive. But for those who do not receive communion well, the consequences are the opposite, because they are not sealed with the honest Blood of our Lord. As Gregory the Theologian himself says: “Since then the Lamb has been slain; and deeds and words are imprinted with honest Blood, that is, skill and action - the pillars of our gates (I mean [by gates] the movements and thoughts of the mind), which easily open and close from contemplation" 17 . In other words, they easily open to contemplation and again close from the contemplation of higher and incomprehensible meanings. The Monk Ephraim the Syrian writes: “Let us, brothers, devote ourselves to silence, fasting, prayer, tears, church meetings, handicrafts, communication with the holy fathers, obedience to the truth, listening to the Divine Scriptures, so that our minds do not dry out, and most of all, let us try to make ourselves worthy of Communion of the Divine and Most Pure Mysteries, so that our souls will be cleansed of the emerging thoughts of unbelief and uncleanness and so that the Lord who dwells in us will deliver us from the evil one.” The Divine Cyril of Alexandria says that thanks to Divine Communion, mental thieves - demons - do not find permission to enter our soul through the senses: “By the door of the perfect home [of the soul] we mean our senses, through which images of all things enter the hearts of all people and an immeasurable multitude of desires is poured into them. And the prophet Joel calls them, feelings, windows: “They enter windows like thieves” (Joel 2:9), for they were not anointed with the Blood of Christ. And again [Scripture] says that after the slaughter of the lamb, “let them take some of his blood and anoint it on both doorposts and on the lintel of the doors of the houses” (Ex. 12:7), indicating that with the honest Blood of Christ we preserve this earthly church of ours, that is, our body, and we drive out the ancient deadness of disobedience by enjoying the communion of life, and also removing the destroyer from us by anointing Blood of Christ." The Divine Cyril says in another place that thanks to Communion we are cleansed from all spiritual impurity and receive readiness and zeal for good: “The honest Blood of Christ not only delivers us from corruption, but also from all impurity hidden within, and does not leave us to cool in negligence, but makes us more ardent in the Spirit.” Saint Theodore the Studite wonderfully describes the benefits that everyone receives from frequent Communion: “Tears, tenderness have great power, but first of all and most of all, Communion of the Holy Things, in relation to which, seeing you, I don’t know why, disposed carelessly, I am very surprised. If it is Sunday, you still begin the Sacrament, but if the Liturgical meeting happens on another day, no one receives communion. Although in the monastery anyone could receive communion every day. Now the Liturgy is celebrated less frequently, but even then you do not receive communion. By saying this, I do not mean that you want to receive communion just like that and as it happens, for it is written: “Let a man examine himself, and in this way let him eat of this bread and drink from this cup. For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself” (1 Cor. 11:28–29), without distinguishing where the Body and Blood of the Lord are. That’s not why I say, but it won’t happen! But so that, with the desire for Communion, we purify ourselves as much as possible and make ourselves worthy of this gift, for the communion of life is the Bread that was presented, which came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this Bread, he will live forever: “The Bread that I will give is My Flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” And again: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Do you see the incomprehensible gift? He not only died for us, but also offered Himself to us as food. What could be a greater sign of strong love? What could be more saving for the soul? In addition, no one refuses to eat ordinary food and drink every day, and if they don’t eat, they are extremely upset. As for not ordinary bread, but the Bread of Life, and not ordinary drink, but the Cup of Immortality, we treat them as unimportant and not absolutely necessary. What could be more crazy and reckless? However, no matter how things have been so far, for the future, I ask you, let us be careful, knowing the power of the gift, and, as far as possible, purified, let us partake of the Holy Things. And if it happens that we are busy with some kind of work, as soon as the bell rings, let us leave the work and go to receive Holy Communion with great eagerness. And this (as I think, or rather, as it really is) will help us a lot, since preparation for Communion will keep us pure. If we are indifferent to Communion, then how will we avoid working with passions? May Communion be our guide to eternal life 18 19 . So, my brothers, if we do as the divine fathers command us and take communion often, then not only will we have Divine grace as an assistant and collaborator in this short life, but the angels of God and the Lord of the Angels himself will help us, and in addition, we will throw away our demonic opponents far from ourselves, as the divine Chrysostom says: “Like lions breathing fire, so we depart from this [Holy Meal], becoming terrible for the devil, having in us both our Head Christ and the love that He showed us. This Blood makes the royal image of our soul shine, gives birth to inexpressible beauty, does not allow the nobility in the soul to fade, constantly watering and nourishing it. This Blood, worthily received, drives demons away from us, but attracts angels, along with the Lord of the angels. For the demons flee when they see the Sovereign Blood, and the angels gather. She is the salvation of our souls, the soul rejoices in her, she is adorned with her, she is warmed by her. It makes our mind brighter than fire. It makes our soul purer than gold. Those who partake of this Blood stand together with the angels and the highest powers, dressed in the same royal clothes as them, and having spiritual weapons. But I have not yet spoken about the greatest thing: those who receive communion are dressed as the King Himself” 20. Do you see, my beloved brother, how many wonderful gifts you receive if you take Communion often, do you see how with frequent Communion the mind is enlightened, the mind brightens, all the powers of the soul are purified? And if you want to mortify carnal passions, take communion often and you will enjoy it. Cyril of Alexandria assures us of this: “Whoever believes in blessed Communion is delivered not only from death, but also from the diseases that are in us. For Christ coming into us puts to sleep the raging law of the flesh in our members and revives reverence for God, and mortifies passions.” Thus, without frequent Communion we cannot free ourselves from passions and ascend to the heights of dispassion. So are the Israelites: if they had not wanted to eat the Passover in Egypt, they would not have been able to free themselves from it. Egypt means a passionate life. And if we do not continually partake of the Honorable Body and Blood of our Lord (if it were possible, then every day), we are not able to free ourselves from the mental pharaohs. The Divine Cyril of Alexandria says exactly this: “What the Israelites, being slaves and working under the command of the Egyptians, did [that is, they killed the lamb and ate the Passover], this means that the soul of a person cannot otherwise come to freedom and escape the tyranny of the devil, except by Communion with Christ. For He Himself said: “Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).” And again this saint says: “Those who sacrificed the lamb did this, prefiguring Christ, for they could not free themselves in any other way,” because freedom is acquired only by the power of Christ. So, if we want to escape from Egypt, that is, from the dark sin that haunts us, and from Pharaoh, that is, the mental tyrant, as Gregory the Theologian says, and we want to inherit the land of the heart and promise, then we must, like the Israelites who had the leader Joshua, have our Lord Jesus Christ through frequent Communion in order to defeat the Canaanites and foreigners (countless passions of the flesh), and Gibeonites (deceitful thoughts), so that we may settle in the city of Jerusalem, which means the sacred world (Hereinafter - ειρήνη) (as opposed to the secular world). According to the word of our Lord: “My peace I give to you; “Not as the world gives, I give to you” (John 14:27). That is: “My disciples, I give you My sacred and holy world, not like the worldly world, which often has evil as its goal.” By staying in this sacred world, we will be worthy to receive the betrothal of the Spirit in our hearts, just as the apostles, remaining in Jerusalem at the command of the Lord, received the perfection and grace of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost. After all, peace is a gift that includes all other divine gifts, and the Lord lives in the world, for, as the prophet Elijah says, God was not in a big and strong wind, not in an earthquake, not in fire, but in a breath of a quiet and peaceful wind - the Lord was there (See 1 Kings 19:11-12). However, no one can acquire peace without having other virtues, and virtue is not acquired without fulfilling the commandments, and the commandment, in turn, cannot be fulfilled perfectly without love, and love is not renewed without Divine Communion. So, without Divine Communion we work in vain. After all, many often seek out various virtues in themselves, hoping to be saved thanks to them even without frequent Communion. But this is almost impossible, for they do not want to submit to the will of God, which is to receive communion often, according to the rite of the Church, that is, at every Liturgy performed, when they gather in church. To such people God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah: “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and have hewed out for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jer. 2:13). In other words, they abandoned the source of virtue and the gifts of the Holy Spirit and dug reservoirs within themselves, perforated from below, which cannot hold water. And again God speaks through the prophet Isaiah: “They seek Me every day and want to know My ways, like a people who do righteousness and do not forsake the laws of their God; they ask Me about the judgments of righteousness, they want to get closer to God: “Why do we fast, but You don’t see? We humble our souls, but You don’t know?” - Behold, on the day of your fast you do your will and demand hard work from others. Behold, you fast for quarrels and strife, and in order to strike others with a bold hand; you do not fast at this time so that your voice will be heard on high. Is this the fast that I have chosen, the day on which a man languishes his soul, when he bends his head like a reed and spreads rags and ashes under him? Would you call this a fast and a day pleasing to the Lord?” (Isa.58:2–5). In other words, they seek Me every day and want to know the wisdom of My providence, as if they were a righteous people who kept the commandments of God, and they say: “Why don’t you see, Lord, that we have fasted? Why don’t You want to know that we suffered so much?” And God answers: “I do not hear you, because when you fast, then you again fulfill your evil wishes. I don’t want such fasting and such suffering. But even if you make burlap and ashes instead of a bed, I do not accept such a fast.” But then works are accepted and virtues bring benefits when they are performed according to the will of God. The will of God is that we do as our Lord commands us, Who tells us: “He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life” (John 6:54). This is not just a commandment, but the head of all commandments, for it is the perfecting force and an integral part of the other commandments. So, my beloved, if you want to kindle divine zeal in your heart and acquire love for Christ, and with it acquire all the other virtues, approach Holy Communion often - and then you will enjoy what you desire. After all, it is impossible for anyone not to love Christ and not to be loved by Christ if he continually partakes of His Holy Body and Blood. This happens naturally. And listen to how it happens. Some people wonder why parents love their children. Similarly, why children also love their parents. We answer: no one has ever hated himself or his body. Since children have their bodies from the bodies of their parents and especially because they are nourished by their mother’s blood both in the womb and after birth (after all, milk, naturally, is nothing more than blood that has become white), then I say that for them (children) the natural law is to love their parents, just as for parents to love their children. After all, children are conceived from their parents’ own bodies. Thus, those who often partake of the Body and Blood of our Lord will naturally ignite within themselves a desire and love for Him - on the one hand, because this life-giving and life-giving Body and Blood so warms those who partake (even the most unfit and hard-hearted) in love, the more incessantly they partake; and on the other hand, because the knowledge of love for God is not something alien to us, but is naturally infused into our hearts as soon as we are born in the flesh and reborn in the spirit in holy Baptism. At the slightest opportunity, these natural sparks instantly ignite into a flame, as the wise Basil in the Divine says: “Simultaneously with the appearance of the animal (that is, man), a certain seminal logos (σπερματικος λογος) is introduced into us, which naturally gives birth in us the ability to love [God]. This power (that is, logos) is cultivated by the careful fulfillment of the commandments of God, nourishes the knowledge [of God] and leads to perfection by the grace of God. You should know that there is only one feat of love, but it fulfills and includes all the other commandments” 21. So, this natural strength - to love God - is strengthened, nurtured and perfected by frequent Communion of the Body and Blood of our Lord. Therefore, Saint Cyprian writes that the martyrs, when they went to suffer, first of all received communion of the Most Pure Mysteries and, strengthened by Holy Communion, were so inflamed with the love of God that they ran into the field like sheep to the slaughter, and instead of the Body and Blood of Christ, of which they partook, they shed their own blood and gave up their body to various torments. What other good thing would you, a Christian, want to receive and would not receive from Holy Communion? Do you want to celebrate every day? Do you want to celebrate Easter whenever you wish, and rejoice in unspeakable joy in this sad life? Continually resort to the Sacrament and receive communion with due preparation, and then you will enjoy what you desire. After all, the true Easter and the true holiday of the soul is Christ, Who is sacrificed in the Sacrament, as the Apostle says, and after him the divine Chrysostom: “The Fourth Day occurs once a year, but Easter occurs three times a week, and sometimes four, or rather, as many times as we want, for Easter is not a fast, but an Offering and Sacrifice that occurs at every meeting 22 . And that this is true, hear from Paul, saying: “Our Passover, Christ, was sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7).” So whenever you approach [the Sacrament] with a clear conscience, you celebrate Easter. Not when you fast, but when you partake of this Sacrifice. After all, the catechumen never celebrates Passover, although he fasts every year, because he does not partake of the Offerings.” That is, he does not receive communion. And on the contrary: “He who does not fast, when he receives Communion, if he approaches [the Sacrament] with a clear conscience, then he celebrates Easter - be it today, be it tomorrow, be it on any day. For preparation is assessed not by observing the times, but by a clear conscience” 23. That is, the best preparation for Communion is not to count eight, or fifteen, or forty days and then receive Communion, but to clear the conscience. So, those who, although they fast before Easter, do not receive communion on Easter, such people do not celebrate Easter, as this divine Father says. Those who are not prepared to partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord on every holiday cannot truly celebrate Sundays and other holidays of the year, because these people do not have within themselves the reason and occasion for the holiday, which is the Sweetest Jesus Christ, and do not have that spiritual joy that is born from Divine Communion. Those who believe that Easter and holidays consist of rich meals, many candles, fragrant incense, and silver and gold jewelry with which they decorate the church are seduced. For God does not require this of us, since it is not primary and not the main thing, as He says through the prophet Moses: “What does the Lord your God require of you? Only this, that you fear the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, and love Him, and serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you keep the commandments of the Lord [your God] and His statutes” (Deut. 10:12-13). Of course, our word now is not about judging whether the gifts that we bring to church out of reverence are good or not. They are good, but with them we must first of all offer obedience to the holy commandments of our Lord and prefer this obedience to all other offerings, as the prophet and king David says: “A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; You will not despise a broken and humble heart, O God” (Ps. 50:19). The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews says the same thing in a different way: “You did not desire sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for Me” (Heb. 10:5), which means: “Lord! You do not want me to bring you all other sacrifices and offerings; You only want me to approach the Divine Mysteries and partake of the All-Holy Body of Your Son, which You have prepared on the Holy Throne (Τρ?πepsilon;ζα), for such is Your will.” Therefore, wanting you to show that you are ready for obedience, the Apostle says: “Behold, I come to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is in my heart” (Heb. 10:9; Ps. 39:8-9). That is, I go to do Your will with all readiness and fulfill Your law with all my heart. Therefore, if we want to be saved, we must fulfill with joy and love, like sons, the will of God and His commandments, and not with fear, like slaves. After all, fear preserves the fulfillment of the old commandments, and love preserves the fulfillment of the gospel. In other words, those under the law fulfilled the commandments and regulations of the law out of fear, so as not to be punished and subjected to torment. We Christians, since we are no longer under the law, must fulfill the commandments of the Gospel not out of fear, but out of love, just as sons must do the will of God. The will of God and the Father, by His good pleasure from the very beginning, was to form a Body for His Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle said, that is, for His Son to become incarnate and shed His Blood for the salvation of the world. And so that we all, Christians, may continually partake of His Body and His Blood, so that through frequent Communion in this life we ​​may be preserved from the snares and tricks of the devil, and when the exodus of our soul is completed and it flies up like a dove in freedom and joy to heaven, it will not be at all hindered by the airy spirits. And this is confirmed by the divine Chrysostom, saying: “And another told me about a certain vision, which he himself was awarded, and did not learn from someone. If those who are to be taken from here turn out to receive the Sacraments with a clear conscience, then when they die, they are carried and raised from here to heaven by angels, thanks to Communion" 24 . Therefore, you, my brother, since you do not know when death comes - either today, or tomorrow, or at this hour - must always be part of the Most Pure Mysteries and be ready. And if it is God’s will that you still live in this life, then with the grace of Holy Communion you will lead a life full of joy, full of peace, full of love and accompanied by all other virtues. And if it is God’s will for you to die, then, thanks to Holy Communion, you will freely bypass the demonic ordeals that are in the air, and with indescribable joy you will settle in eternal abodes. After all, since you are always united with the Sweetest Jesus Christ, the omnipotent King, then here too you will live a blissful life, and when you die, the demons will run away from you like lightning, and the angels will open the heavenly entrance for you and will solemnly accompany you to the very Throne of the Blessed Trinity. O the greatness that Christians enjoy from frequent Communion both in this life and in the future! Do you, Christian, want to cleanse yourself from those smallest sins that you, as a person, commit either with your eyes or with your ears? Then approach the Sacrament with fear and a contrite heart - and you will be cleansed and forgiven. Saint Anastasius of Antioch confirms this: “If we commit certain small, human and forgivable offenses, being concealed either by the tongue, or by hearing, or by the eyes, or by vanity, or by sadness, or by anger, or something similar, then, reproaching ourselves and confessing to God, let us thus partake of the Holy Mysteries, believing that Communion is performed for the purification of all this” - however, not from heavy or evil and unclean sins that we have committed 25. Many other saints testify to this. Saint Clement says: “As we partake of the Honest Body and Honest Blood of Christ, let us give thanks to Him who has made us worthy to partake of His Holy Mysteries, and let us ask that they may not be for our judgment, but for salvation and the remission of sins” 26 . Basil the Great says: “And grant us to partake without condemnation of these Most Pure and Life-giving Mysteries for the remission of sins” 27 . And the divine Chrysostom says: “It is like being one who receives communion for the sobriety of the soul, for the remission of sins” 28. That is, so that these Mysteries serve those receiving communion to cleanse the soul and forgive sins. Although both confession and the performance of penance can provide forgiveness of sins, Divine Communion is necessary for liberation from sins. When treating a stinking wound, first remove the worms, then cut off the rotten parts and then apply an ointment for healing, because if the wound is left without it, it will return to its previous state. The same thing happens with sin: confession removes the worms, doing penance cuts off what is rotten, and then Divine Communion becomes like an ointment and heals from sin. For if Divine Communion is not accepted, the unfortunate sinner returns to his previous state, and for that person the last thing is worse than the first (Matthew 12:45). Do you hear, my Christian, how many gifts you receive from frequent Communion? And your smallest pardonable sins are forgiven, and your wounds are healed, and you are made whole. What else could be more blessed than to always prepare and receive communion, and, thanks to the preparation and help of Divine Communion, to always be free from sins, than for you, the earthly one, to be pure on earth, as the angels are pure in heaven? And what other happiness could be greater than this? And yet I will tell you even more. If, my brother, you approach the Mysteries often and worthily partake of this incorruptible, this glorified Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and become a co-corporeal and treasurer of Christ, the life-giving power and action of this Most Holy Body and Blood in the resurrection of the righteous will revive your own body, and it will rise incorruptible, as the divine Apostle writes in the Epistle to the Philippians, glorified with The body of Christ, “Who will transform our lowly body so that it will be conformed to His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21). All this glory and gifts, these great and supernatural benefits that we have talked about so far, are received by every Christian when with a clear conscience he partakes of the Divine Mysteries of our Sweetest Jesus Christ - and others, even greater, which we, for the sake of brevity, leave behind. Finally, when a Christian receives communion, then, reflecting on what terrible and heavenly Mysteries he has received, he pays attention to himself so as not to dishonor grace, fears his thoughts, collects and preserves them, lays the foundation for a more strict and virtuous life and moves away, as far as possible, from all evil. When he again thinks that in a few days he will have to receive communion, he redoubles his attention, applies readiness to readiness, abstinence to abstinence, vigil to vigil, labor to labor, and strives as far as possible. After all, he seems to be constrained on two sides: firstly, by the fact that he has just received communion, and secondly, by the fact that he will soon receive communion again. Homily 45, for Holy Easter. See: St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople. Collected works in 2 volumes. T.1. Holy Trinity Sergeev Lavra, 1994, p.671. See glory. “on the way to eternal life” from the prayer for Holy Communion, Catechetical teaching 107. In the Russian “Philokalia” – teaching 309. Philokalia. T.4, pp.581–582. Discourse 43 on the Gospel of John. See: St. John Chrysostom. Selected creations. Book 1. M., 1993, pp. 304–305. The rules, set out at length in questions and answers, 2. See: Works like the saints of our father Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea of ​​Cappadocia. Part 5. M., b.g., p.82. That is, at the Eucharistic meeting, at the Liturgy. – Approx. lane Against the Jews. Word 3, See; Complete collection of works of St. John Chrysostom. T.1. Book 2. M., 1991, pp. 673–675. About the priesthood. Word 6. See: Complete collection of works of St. John Chrysostom. T.1. Book 2. M., 1991, p.471. This means if we do not confess these sins. – Approx. lane Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, priest’s prayer to “Bow your heads to the Lord.” Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, prayer of the priest after the presentation of the Holy Gifts. You might be interested in: