His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros

Homily for the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy and Great Thursday

April 13, 2023

Archdiocese Chapel of Saint Paul

New York, New York

 

Beloved Sisters and Brothers in the Lord,

We have gathered to commemorate the First Divine Liturgy – the Mystical Supper – when the Lord Jesus gave us the commandment that established the worship of the Church. He said the following:

Τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν.

Do this in remembrance of Me. [*]

Simple words for the simple action, when He transformed the “everlasting memorial”[†] of the Passover Supper, which commemorates the liberation of Israel from Egypt, into the New Covenant of freedom between God and humanity.

He took basic elements of life – bread and wine – gifts of nature, but gifts that must have human intervention to become what they are. Bread must be kneaded. Wine must be fermented. Wheat and grapes do not naturally become these gifts. We see in them the exercise of the human spirit, the spirit of civilization.

Therefore, in this rich and textured liturgical worship, we remember Him. We re-connect to Him. Literally, we re-member Him to ourselves, and become part of His life, His eternal reality. And because this is what establishes us as the Body of Christ – the Same Body that we consume – we reconnect to one another. We remember.

Especially for those of us that have lost dear loved ones – whether recently or in the distant past – when we enter through Holy Communion into the Life of God, we also enter into the communion of the Saints. We join with parents, friends, loved ones – all who now share in the life of God.

Yes, my friends, we do this in remembrance of our Lord, but we also remember all those we carry in our hearts. As the Deacon intones in the first words following the Consecration:

Πάντων τῶν ἁγίων μνημονεύσαντες, ἔτι καὶ ἔτι ἐν εἰρήνῃ, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.

Having remembered all the Holy Ones, again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

Do not suppose that the “Holy Ones” are only those we conventionally call, “Saints.” They are every soul that has reposed and is now in the presence of God, Who magnifies whatever holiness they possessed in life. In death, God purifies the dross of sin, like a refiner who purifies gold and silver. Think of how the first light of dawn chases away the shadows of night. How much more does the brilliance of God put to flight the remnants of our inadequacies and insufficiencies, and make us shine like the stars.

Therefore, on this special morning, when we do what we do – in remembrance of our Lord Jesus – let us also call to mind those whom we love in this world, and in the world to come.

Let us re-connect across time, across space, across the chasm that we perceive when death arrives, and let us re-member. The beauty of our Faith is that it is in the most simple act of eating and drinking – the Holy Bread and the Consecrated Wine – which have become the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we unite in Spirit and in truth with them. For as the Apostle says, their lives are now hidden with Christ in God. [‡]

And as we consume God’s own Body and Blood, we are also incorporated into that strange and wonderful reality that, on earth, we call the Church – and in Heaven, we call the Kingdom.

Everything that we do in our Liturgy today, and in every Divine Liturgy, finds their purpose in bringing us to that realization. Hence our prayer for today, is that most perfect prayer before we receive Holy Communion:

O Son of God, receive me today as a partaker of Your Mystical Supper. For I will not speak of the mystery to Your enemies, nor will I give You a kiss, as did Judas. But like the thief, I confess to You: Remember me, Lord, in Your Kingdom.

May it always be so. Amen.