Category: MORNING Prayers

Quote/s of the Day- 1 June

“Many spirits are abroad in the world and the church
and the credentials they display are splendid gifts of
eloquence and ability.
Christian – look carefully – for the Print of the nails!”

“We used to hate and destroy one another
and refused to associate with people
of another race or country.
Now, because of Christ, we live together
with such people and pray for our enemies ”

“Let it be understood
that those who are not found living
as He taught,
are NOT Christian- even though they profess
with the lips the teaching of Christ.”

“Not as common bread or as common drink do we receive these…..
We have been taught that the food that has been Eucharistized
by the word of prayer, that food which by assimilation nourishes
our flesh and blood, is the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus.”

“The world suffers nothing from Christians
but hates them because they reject its pleasures.”

“You can kill us
but you cannot do us any real harm.”

St Justin Martyr

St. Justin Martyr on the Eucharist

“No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.

We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Saviour became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.

The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do.   They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said:  Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said:This is my blood.   The Lord gave this command to them alone.   Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things.   The rich among us help the poor and we are always united.   For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.

On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts.   The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time.   When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings.   Then we all stand up together and pray.

On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward.   The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”.   The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.

The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution and they themselves decide the amount.   The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home.   In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.

We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead.   For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.”  Here is a video of the Mass in 155 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-FwgO_s5_A