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Our Anglican Tradition
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Why We Do | Prayer Book | Sacraments | Organization |
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Why We Do What We Do In Church
(An instructed Eucharist)
As Christians in the Anglican tradition, we
recognize and celebrate Holy Baptism as
"full initiation by
water and the Holy Spirit into Christ's body." Our principal weekly
service is the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, in which we hear God's word and
celebrate our union with Christ and one another.
For at least the second century A.D. on, the church understood the
service of Holy Eucharist in terms of a great drama and a great celebration.
Ευχαριoιώ in Greek means "I give thanks", and thanksgiving is what this
service is primarily about. Each generation has made new contributions to
the beauty, intimacy, and power of the service. But the fundamental aspect
of the Eucharist is still the coming together of God's people to remember,
to find hope, and to give thanks.
The Liturgy of the
Word
We stand
to praise and kneel to pray. But we sit to listen to God's Word in Holy
Scripture and to the exposition or interpretation of the Word in the Sermon.
God's Word provides comfort and strength, wisdom and reassurance. But the
Word of God also challenges us, prompting our response in the form of
profession, petition and confession.
We proclaim our trust in the Lord through the Creed. We pray for others
in need, even our enemies. We ask the Lord's forgiveness for the ways we
hurt both God and our neighbors, especially in the past week. The Absolution
reminds us of "manifold and great mercies" which make sinners into saints.
As forgiven sinners, as saints of God, we greet one another with the
Peace. Far from being simply a nice gesture, this marks our common life in
Christ as we prepare to commune with our Lord...together.
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| The Liturgy
of the Sacrament
With the words of
scripture still resounding in us, we offer to God all that we have. We "lift
up our hearts" and experience anew the wonder of the Lord's Supper. Even as
the Sanctus reminds us of the awesome holiness of God, the Eucharist Prayer
calls to mind the extent of God's love for us, "in that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us."
Throughout this ancient and great prayer, the
priest echoes not only the words but also the actions of Jesus at the Table,
"blessing, breaking, giving." Our "remembrance" is actually a way of
transport, as the Supper comes to us, and we are there with Peter, John, and
the others. As fellow children of one Father, we pray the prayer of Jesus.
As we are called deeper into the drama, we rise and move forward towards
the Holy Table. Wherever we are in our respective journeys, we are one in
that Communion. We recall who we are and Whose we are.
The Liturgy of Our Lives
If receiving Communion is the climax in the drama
just experienced, then the Post-Communion Prayer, Blessing, and Dismissal
together make up the
"surprise ending" to
the story. For here, we who have felt like spectators are called to become
the chief players. Knees that were knelt in devotion at the altar rail are
now to kneel daily on behalf of others. Hands that had been open only
minutes before to receive are now to be open to give.
In the words of St. Augustine,
"We are the Body
of Christ. In us and through us the work of Jesus must be fulfilled. We are
to be taken. We are to be blessed, broken and given to all around us, that
we may be for them a means of grace and vehicles of God's unending love."
We are blessed that we may be a blessing to others.
"Go in
peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen." |
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