On Frequent Communion
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I want to share with you some things I have been inspired by from my readings of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite:
Being negligent about our Faith is the beginning of loosing it altogether. We have been given everything we need for the restoration of our souls, and most important is partaking of Holy Communion. This of course requires that we live according to the principles of our Faith and do those things required so we can partake of Communion frequently. Too often people are negligent, and think that when they have not prepared, not been careful to keep themselves from wrong choices, not been confessing, have not held to the fast, have not kept themselves according to the Christian way of life, they are doing the right thing to simply stand back and not receive. It may be the right thing Sunday morning, but it is too little too late, we loose out, and we slip even farther away. If you find yourself saying “next time”, you have lost, as it is in taking Communion that we have our life in Christ.
Actually, all Orthodox Christians are commanded to take communion frequently. Jesus said, “And the bread that I give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51), and by making His flesh our ‘bread’, He makes it a necessary nourishment for living. He continues, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” (Jn 6:53). These words make it clear that Holy Communion is just as necessary for salvation as Holy Baptism, where he used the same form of command. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:5). Just as it is impossible to live the spiritual life and be saved without Baptism, it is impossible to live without Communion. Baptism occurs only once, to set us on the path to salvation. Receiving of Holy Communion is to be frequent, sustaining our life in Christ daily!
When Christ instituted Holy Communion he did not make a recommendation, as He had when he said things like, “Whoever wants to follow me”, and “If you want to be perfect”. Rather He commanded, when He cried out, “Take, eat: this is my body” (Mt 26:26), and “Drink ye all of it. For this is my Blood” (Mt 26:27-28), and “This do in remembrance of Me” (Lk 22:19). He commands us to take Communion, and to do so in all devotion, frequently, even daily, according to St. John Chrysostom.
To neglect regular attendance at the Divine Liturgy, or to come unprepared and not receive, is to allow the seeds of sin to take root in us more insidiously with each time we are negligent. As St. Gregory the Theologian has said, “For while we were idle, the evil one planted tares in us (cf. Mt13:25) in order that neglect of good might become the beginning of evil, just as the beginning of darkness is the retreat of light.”
~ Compiled by Fr. Damian Kuolt
