Experiences during the Divine Liturgy

[Blackknight]

My friend told me what happened to her at the Liturgy. She was praying, when suddenly she felt the love of God - she wept and wept. After the Liturgy her friend approached (he was a twenty-something altar boy, he later went to become a monk) and told her: "Hey how are you? I said a special prayer for you while I was in the altar". I dunno if she told him about the tears after what he said, but I found it amazing how a simple prayer can touch someone so profoundly.

There's time during Liturgy when it feels like electricity is running through my body, especially during the Trisagion and Cherubic hymns. I know exactly what she means by wanting to cry as well, I have fell on my knees and just wept in front of my icons at home.

 

[ArmyMatt]

There's time during Liturgy when it feels like electricity is running through my body

that's like Pashca. I am an alter server at my church and the holiness makes the air feel static. I grin like an idiot (and I am doing it now) from the moment the priest says, "Come, receive ye the Light," until the last "Christ is risen!" at the end.

God's Presence is so thick, it's almost like you can grab it with your bare hand.

 

[Mytheodos]

A short one...

The Most Holy Theotokos disciplines two children!

A relative of mine told me the following incident:A friend of his who was a doctor,
like all the other children who laugh and move aimlessly here and there inside
the Church Temple without realizing it,was also laughing with his cousin
teasing the other children and running hear and there.
Even though the Liturgy had finished,they had taken the antidoron and the
people had already left,however these two children and the doctor along
with his cousin started being naughty inside the Church Temple.
That is when an austere and at the same time sweet woman's voice
was heard telling them:
-In my Son's house we do not play!
We do not run here and there.
We pray,we receive Holy Communion and partake of His Body and Blood.
The Blood of my Son!
And...She grabs them by the neck and in a split of a second both children
were outdoors,in the Churches yard!!
The doctor then replies:"Just let them come to me and tell me that there
is or there is not a God.
God spoke to me through His All-Holy Mother."

 

[MariaRegina]

A short one...

The Most Holy Theotokos disciplines two children!

A relative of mine told me the following incident:A friend of his who was a doctor,
like all the other children who laugh and move aimlessly here and there inside
the Church Temple without realizing it,was also laughing with his cousin
teasing the other children and running hear and there.
Even though the Liturgy had finished,they had taken the antidoron and the
people had already left,however these two children and the doctor along
with his cousin started being naughty inside the Church Temple.
That is when an austere and at the same time sweet woman's voice
was heard telling them:
-In my Son's house we do not play!
We do not run here and there.
We pray,we receive Holy Communion and partake of His Body and Blood.
The Blood of my Son!
And...She grabs them by the neck and in a split of a second both children
were outdoors,in the Churches yard!!
The doctor then replies:"Just let them come to me and tell me that there
is or there is not a God.
God spoke to me through His All-Holy Mother."

 

[Blackknight]

God's Presence is so thick, it's almost like you can grab it with your bare hand.

Yes, it's particularly strong up by the altar. I've served a few times and the first time was during Paschal Liturgy, I was petrified and yet awed at the same time. Even just sitting at home listening to Orthodox hymns I get the same tingling sensation all over my body, my skeptical side says it's just a conditioned response to certain stimuli but I think there's more to it than that.

 

[Mytheodos]

Story about Toll booths(Partial Judgment)..


The Middle state takes place after the soul's "First"or"partial judgments,
which takes place right after the soul is separated from the body.
This 'First"or "Partial Judgment"of man is also our Churches Dogma.

We will conclude with an incidence which was mentioned to me by a grandchild of a certain priest
many years ago during Confession.(F.Anagnostopoulos)

When he was about 5-6 years old,his grandfather who was a priest
died.
They buried him the following day and on the third day the boiled wheat had to be read on his grave.
Everybody left home and headed for the cemetery.It was a sunny evening.
Two of his aunts remained home in order to prepare coffee and treats
and offer them to the reast of the relatives when they would return from the cemetery.
The little boy stayed with them.Suddenly,someone knocked the bottom
door of the house.
One of his aunts tells him:
-Go,open the door and see who is knocking downstairs,sweetheart.
The little boy went downstairs and when he opened he door...
what was it he saw?
He sees his grandfather the priest! Alive!
-How about it granddad,how did you come here?Didn't you die?
He said in a naive tone.And how come you are soaking wet?
It was as if the priest from his hat to his toes had just come out of the water,he was that wet.
The water drops were dripping,they were running on down the wooden floor..
-My,my!How did you become so wet!Fine,it is not raining outside,how come
you are soaking wet?
-Listen here,my little one! This is not rainwater.I am sweating agony!
For three days i've been going through the toll booths(Check pointing)..
Tell your grandmother,uncles,and aunts,your father,and mother and
all the others,that i have been going through the toll booths(Check points)
for three days!
Now,i am redeemed,now i have escaped,now my little boy,i am saved!
When they return tell them to bend down and lick these waters which
remained on the floor for it is the sweat of agony.
In this way they will be convinced that i talked to you..
And he disappeared!
The boy opens the door again to look outside to see where his grandfather is,where he has gone and there was no granddad!
His relatives returned....and indeed there was water forming a puddle on the floor,as it was running down from the priests vestments,his beard
as well as his stole.
The little boy narrated it to them but they would not believe him.
However,when they bent down to lick the water then they were convinced.
It was salty!For sweat is also salty...


We should also do commemoration of names during the Liturgy,charity,trisagions,memorials,fasting,vigils,full prostrations-
whenever we are healthy and are able to-prayer ropes,prayers...while there is still time.Tomorrow it may be late.
Today is"the day of salvation",it is an opportunity to pray for ourselves and for the others and for the dead...and a little bit for our Spiritual Father.