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quote:

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Matthew 22: 1 And Jesus answered and spake again in parables unto them, saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, 3 and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast : and they would not come. 4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise; 6 and the rest laid hold on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. 10 And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment * (This refers to the fact that the man refused to put on one of the festive gowns that were offered to everyone at the door, as by custom--which means that he was refusing to celebrate!!! ) *: 12 and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few chosen.

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Apostle's Creed

.....
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy Catholic Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

The early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers” (Acts 2:42). In this breaking of bread the immortal God is united with and known to mortals, [12] “the holy things (made available) to those who are holy.”

and

Everyone who recites the Aposles Creed or the Nicene Creed, as many Protestants do, affirms the Communion of Saints. This affirmation means that the Church Triumphant in Heaven is not ignorant or insensitive to the needs and sufferings of the Church Militant here on earth. As Fr. Coniaris notes: "The two churches remain connected through the bond of love which is expressed through prayer. The Communion of Saints is a communion through never-ending prayer."80

and

We pray “thy kingdom come.” And it is with the exclamation “Blessed be the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” that begins each Eucharistic celebration.

Edited by - PotOnWheel on 06/12/2003 09:04:23 AM

quote:

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. . .

Wherefore, 0 Master, we also remembering His saving Passion and life-creating Cross, His three-day burial, and resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, and sitting down at thy right hand, God and Father, and His glorious and fearful second coming,

The priest exclaims:
Thine own of thine own we offer unto thee on behalf of all and for all.

While this is being said, the deacon puts aside the fan, and crossing his arms, elevates the holy diskos and the holy chalice, and makes a devout reverence.

Choir:
We hymn thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and we pray unto thee, 0 our God.

The priest, bowing his head, prays:
Because of this, O all-holy Master, we also, thy sinful and unworthy servants, whom thou hast made worthy to minister at thy holy Altar, not through our own righteousness, for we have done nothing good upon the earth, but because of thy mercies and compassion, which thou hast richly poured out upon us, dare to draw nigh to thy holy Altar, and, presenting unto thee the antitypes of the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ, we pray thee and call upon thee, 0 Holy of Holies, by the favor of thy goodness, that thy Holy Spirit may come upon us AND upon these Gifts here set forth, and bless them and hallow them, and show.

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And the deacon sets aside the fan which he holds or [the veil, and draws near to the priest, and they both make] three references before the holy table praying within themselves, O God, cleanse thou me a sinner, and saying:
Priest:
O Lord, who at the third hour didst send down thine all-holy Spirit upon thine Apostles, take not the same from us, O Good One, but renew Him in us who pray unto thee.

Deacon: (the verse)
A clean heart create in me, 0 God, and a right spirit renew in my inmost parts.

Again the priest:
O Lord, who at the third hour. . .
Deacon: (the verse)
Cast me not away from thy face, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
And again the priest:
O Lord, who at the third hour ...

Then bowing his head and pointing to the holy Bread with his orarion, the deacon says:
Bless, Master, the holy Bread.

And the priest then signing the holy Bread says:
This Bread to be itself the precious Body of our Lord, and God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Deacon: Amen.
And again the deacon:
Bless, Master, the holy cup.
And the priest blessing, says:
And this Cup to be itself the precious Blood of our Lord, and God, and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Deacon: Amen.

Priest: Shed for the life of the world.
Deacon: Amen.

And again the deacon, showing both the holy Things, says:

Bless, Master, both.

The priest, blessing both the holy Things, says:

Changing them by thy Holy Spirit.)

Deacon: Amen. Amen. Amen.
And, bowing his head before the priest, the deacon

Remember me, a sinner, holy Master.
And the priest says:
May the Lord God remember thee in His kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

The deacon says, Amen, and goes forth to where he was before, and taking a fan, waves it over the holy Things, as before:

The priest prays:
And as for us all, partakers of the one Bread and of the Cup, do thou unite to one another unto communion of the one Holy Spirit, and make none of us to partake of the holy Body and Blood of thy Christ unto judgment or unto condemnation, but that we may find mercy and grace with all the Saints who- have ever been well-pleasing unto thee: Forefathers, Fathers, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Teachers, and with every righteous spirit in faith made perfect,

And taking the censer, the priest exclaims:
Especially our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed, glorious Lady, Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary.

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