Could I receive?

[Borromeo]

Well, here's the thing.

I feel like, in the presence of God and inside a church again, I WILL mean it, and I'll probably cry. But once I leave Pascha, I'm not sure if I will really mean the repentance, you know?

But it's something I've been wondering a lot about, and... I want to try. It's Pascha, and I really want to try, and give it my all, and see if it lasts after Pascha, yknow? :/

It won't just happen on its own, nothing in life does, you have to do it.

 

[AureateDawn]

Well, went to Pascha! The whole nearly 4 hour thing. Received communion and celebrated with everyone afterwards. It was nice, people had missed me.

And it was an ego boost, too! Lots of compliments about how good I look and the weight I've lost!! xD

I cried a lot last night. It was interesting.

 

[jckstraw72]

thank God! im so glad to hear that Justin! just remember that joy that you found there!

 

[Michael G]

Well, went to Pascha! The whole nearly 4 hour thing. Received communion and celebrated with everyone afterwards. It was nice, people had missed me.

And it was an ego boost, too! Lots of compliments about how good I look and the weight I've lost!! xD

I cried a lot last night. It was interesting.

Will you go back next week?

 

[xenia]

When it becomes about how good Christ looks to you and no longer about how good you look to other people, then you will have made progress.

 

[The Virginian]

I was wondering if it was even worth a shot at asking my priest.

If I confess, would I be able to receive tonight? I was thinking of going to Pascha tonight, but idk...[/quote)

Somewhere, someone said a longtime ago that, "There's no such thing as a stupid question." While that may be true, speaking with your priest, while always a good thing, does not negate Canon Law. I.e., only Orthodox Christians are permitted to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However; anyone, non-Orthodox included, is permitted to go forward to receive prospora, the blessed bread (and a blessing). It differs in the Western and Eastern rites as to when this is given to parishioners.

Again; asking the priest to violate Canon Law (which if he does), can result in a lot of trouble for the priest! It is 'Canon Law' -points agreed upon by a convocation of bishops in Ecumenical Council- which has kept the Church as a whole, from going off on tangents whenever someone felt the need for relaxation of the rubrics/rules. Consider; there was a time when even the catechumens/learners of Orthodoxy, were not permitted to be in the sanctuary, much less those non-Orthodox who were drawn for whatever reason.

the sinful and unworthy servant

 

[127.0.0.1]

Nice to see you again. Hope you rejoin the Orthodox Church soon.

 

[Michael G]

Let me see if I got this right...



I don't know, ask your priest.

Did you pay attention to the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian or the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom?

 

[127.0.0.1]

Did you pay attention to the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian or the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom?

Yes, but I also have heard that not all sins can be excused by the prayers before communion, and I have heard stories of people dying if they receive unworthily. Also, if I recall, Justin is no longer Orthodox.

 

[Michael G]

Yes, but I also have heard that not all sins can be excused by the prayers before communion, and I have heard stories of people dying if they receive unworthily. Also, if I recall, Justin is no longer Orthodox.

The only unforgivable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. All sins are forgivable by confession. Further, the way to repent of removing yourself from the Church is through confession. I revert back to the Prayer of St. Ephraim.

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Justin,

Count the tears among the gifts given to you by Christ. Pray that you do not lose the ability to weep in this world. There is so much to cry over. Even if you can't see your own sins and weep over them, weep because you do not see the face of Christ at every minute of every day.

"Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

''First pray for the gift of tears, so that through sorrowing you may tame what is savage in your soul. And having confessed your transgressions to the Lord, you will obtain forgiveness from Him" (Evagrius of Pontus, On Prayer, 5).

M.

 

[Gregorios]

I was wondering if it was even worth a shot at asking my priest.

If I confess, would I be able to receive tonight? I was thinking of going to Pascha tonight, but idk...[/quote)

Somewhere, someone said a longtime ago that, "There's no such thing as a stupid question." While that may be true, speaking with your priest, while always a good thing, does not negate Canon Law. I.e., only Orthodox Christians are permitted to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

However; anyone, non-Orthodox included, is permitted to go forward to receive prospora, the blessed bread (and a blessing). It differs in the Western and Eastern rites as to when this is given to parishioners.

Again; asking the priest to violate Canon Law (which if he does), can result in a lot of trouble for the priest! It is 'Canon Law' -points agreed upon by a convocation of bishops in Ecumenical Council- which has kept the Church as a whole, from going off on tangents whenever someone felt the need for relaxation of the rubrics/rules. Consider; there was a time when even the catechumens/learners of Orthodoxy, were not permitted to be in the sanctuary, much less those non-Orthodox who were drawn for whatever reason.

the sinful and unworthy servant

Are you a Bishop? If not, you do not have the authority to interpret or apply the canons of the Church.

 

[Michael G]

Are you a Bishop? If not, you do not have the authority to interpret or apply the canons of the Church.

Exactly.

 

[AureateDawn]

Thanks all!

Michael, no, I live away from home at a dorm now and no churches are around. But I plan to go in 2 weeks when I school is out. Plus, not gonna lie, this weekend is Spring Fling, where everyone gets wasted all weekend on campus and the faculty and security look the other way.

Monica, yes, it's been awhile since I've cried. It was nice to let it all out. One of my biggest fears in life (that I have noticed already happening to me) is that I become hardened through the trials of life and getting older, and I can't cry.

Speaking of the typical Pascha sermon, I cried a lot during it. It fit me so well, and when I was Orthodox initially it wasn't something I could really understand or relate to as opposed to now.

 

[ClementofRome]

Justin, your tears were felt in my heart..... May God have mercy on both of us.

 

[The Virginian]

Exactly.

Sorry Michael, but you quoted Gregorios, who was quoting a post I'd made earlier. About which, I wasn't sure if I was being asked weather or not I was a bishop, or the tone of the question.

I am a glorified Reader; i.e., a subdeacon.

There may be 'economia' in Orthodoxy, but it is still no excuse for blatant disregard for Canon Law. I know of a priest who without his bishop's approval, changed his parish from one rite to another. The bishop was not pleased, and the priest was transferred forthwith.


the sinful and unworthy servant

 

[Monica child of God 1]

Justin went to his priest. We cannot know what he said during his confession and it is really none of our business. If Justin was blessed to take communion, that is between him and the person who heard his confession. There are things that can go on in a person's heart that do not need to be articulated publicly.

If someone here is concerned that he partook unworthily, there is a sure way to deal with that concern: pray for him, sincerely, and ask the intercessions of his patron saint and guardian angel.

M.

 

[The Virginian]

Nice to see you again. Hope you rejoin the Orthodox Church soon.

Is this is a question to me? And if it is, I never left once I was chrismated Pentecost Sunday of '98! Going on-line, checking e-mail, reading and deleting digests from sites, and making posts to forums (2, where I haven't forgotten my password due to inactivity), takes way to much of my time.



the sinful and unworthy servant

 

[Antony in Tx]

Justin,

I've lit one of our big "all week" candles for you in our church. I will keep you in my prayers. I know the temptations of college life, I was there and very lost once. It's okay to have some fun, but be thoughtful about what you do and to to take good care of your soul and body while you do. I am thankful that this weekend went well and was meaningful for you.

 

[Michael G]

Justin went to his priest. We cannot know what he said during his confession and it is really none of our business. If Justin was blessed to take communion, that is between him and the person who heard his confession. There are things that can go on in a person's heart that do not need to be articulated publicly.

If someone here is concerned that he partook unworthily, there is a sure way to deal with that concern: pray for him, sincerely, and ask the intercessions of his patron saint and guardian angel.

M.

Exactly. Which is why I keep pointing to the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. "Yea, Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen."