In part 1 (click here to read it) I encouraged active preparation to receive Christ in the Eucharist.
However, it’s very easy to get caught up in the rules for communion preparation. In fact, some people asked me some very good questions about them.
These questions were:
- A question of power
- A question of legalism
- A question of judgment
After more fully explaining the nature of the questions, I turned to explore the Orthodox Christian understanding of the Eucharist.
It truly is the presence of Christ, and as such it is great and awesome, and so it can either burn us up or give us life.
It is because of this balance that we have pre-communion preparation.
So now, let’s look at the first two questions in more detail:
THE RULES ARE NOT A POWER PLAY.
So the first question asked if the guidance of the church made the priest an authoritarian figure bent on power and control.
Since communion is for the healing of our souls and bodies, let’s look at it a bit differently. Let’s think of it as surgery.
When you need surgery, for whatever reason, you go to a surgeon.
I checked several university hospital websites, and just like communion preparation, all surgeons have a checklist of items that you’ll have to do before surgery.
Here are a few items that appear on most lists:
- Removal of body hair/shaving
- Fasting (typically, at least 6 hours before surgery)
- Drinking special concoctions.
- Removing make-up, jewelry, and prosthetics
- Showering with special cleansers
And most hospital websites state that if these criteria are not meant, surgery may not happen.
Of course, no one questions the surgeon. These items are meant to help the surgery go as smoothly as possible.
By cooperating with pre-surgical requirements, you help prevent infection, disease, and other complications that may arise.
Communion preparation should be thought of in the same way.
Just as the doctor is wise in preparing us for the surgical knife, so too is the Church wise in preparing us to draw near to the awesome body and blood of Christ.
In this way, the Church, or the priest, is not concerned with power, but like a doctor, the concern is the health of soul and body.
THE RULES ARE WAY OF TRAINING, NOT LEGALISM
The second question asked if pre-communion preparation was legalistic.
This is a great question.
We are Christians and it is by the grace of God, and only by his grace, that we are able to draw near to him.
Nonetheless, St. James still writes,
“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17 RSV)
In what way should we understand this?
I think we should think of it like we think of coaches and athletes.
If an athlete wants to play his best at his chosen sport, what does do? He follows the guidance of his coach!
Many coaches require several things before a player can play on the team.
- Participation in all practices
- A regimented diet
- A proper exercise and weightlifting schedule
And all of this is in addition to good attendance at school, and a good GPA!
If, like me, you were a musician, it’s very similar. One can’t play with the band, if one doesn’t practice!
Now no one would argue that the coach’s requirements are legalistic. On the contrary everyone would agree that the requirements are for the proper formation and molding of a good sportsman, who will have core values and integrity.
So, is the pre-communion preparation legalistic?
Not at all!
The pre-communion preparation given to us by the Church is like being under the guidance of a skilled coach. It articulates our core values, and it prepares us to be molded into Christ!
QUESTION THREE AND CONCLUSION
…to be continued in the next post (click here to read)! Stay tuned! Same bat channel, same bat time! 