Holy Communion is Christ’s actual Body and Blood. Not a symbol. Not a memorial. The real thing.
When you approach the chalice at St. Michael’s on Sunday morning, you’re receiving what the bread and wine have truly become through the Holy Spirit’s work in the Divine Liturgy. This isn’t poetry or metaphor. We mean it literally, though not in a way that makes the Eucharist cease to be bread and wine in appearance. It’s both, mysteriously.
If you grew up Baptist or at one of the big non-denominational churches around Beaumont, this probably sounds strange. You’re used to communion as a remembrance, little cups of grape juice and crackers passed down the pews once a quarter. A nice reminder of what Jesus did. But that’s not what the early Church believed, and it’s not what we believe now.
What Happens at the Altar
During the Divine Liturgy, the priest calls down the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine. We call this the epiclesis. The Spirit transforms them into Christ’s Body and Blood. Catholics have a similar belief but they focus on the moment when the priest says “This is my body.” We don’t pinpoint a single instant like that. The whole liturgical action, especially the epiclesis, accomplishes this mystery.
St. John Chrysostom, one of the greatest preachers the Church has known, warned that receiving Communion unprepared is like placing fire in your mouth. Fire that burns the unworthy but gives life to those who approach with reverence. That’s not meant to scare you away. It’s meant to help you understand what you’re receiving.
Why We Prepare
You can’t just walk up and receive. The Church requires preparation, both physical and spiritual.
Physical preparation means fasting from midnight the night before. No food, no water, no coffee. (If you’re sick or have medical needs, talk to Fr. Michael about that.) This isn’t legalism. It’s about approaching something holy with intentionality. You wouldn’t show up to meet the President in your pajamas, right? This is infinitely more important.
Spiritual preparation is harder. You need to have been to confession recently. You need to have forgiven people who’ve wronged you and sought forgiveness from people you’ve wronged. If you’re in a fight with your spouse or your kids, you need to make that right first. One of our pre-Communion hymns says it plainly: “First reconcile with those who grieve thee, then with courage receive the Mystic Food.”
You also need to be Orthodox. This surprises visitors sometimes, especially if they come from churches where everyone’s invited to the table. But Communion isn’t just about your personal relationship with Jesus. It’s about being in communion with the whole Church, under a canonical Orthodox bishop, believing what the Church believes. It’s a family meal. You have to be part of the family.
The Center of Everything
The Eucharist isn’t one thing we do among many. It’s the reason we gather. The Divine Liturgy exists to make Communion possible, and Communion exists to unite us with Christ and transform us into His likeness.
This is how we’re saved. Not just by believing the right things or making a decision for Christ one time at summer camp. We’re saved by actual union with God, and that union happens most fully when we receive His Body and Blood. The fancy theological word is theosis. We become by grace what Christ is by nature. And the Eucharist is central to that process.
Every Sunday, if you’re prepared, you can receive. Some Orthodox from other backgrounds were taught to commune only a few times a year, but that’s not our practice. We encourage frequent Communion for those who love Christ and prepare themselves properly. As one of our prayers says, you can have “a true Nativity and a true Pascha” whenever you commune worthily.
What This Means for You
If you’re inquiring into Orthodoxy, you can’t receive yet. That’s hard, especially if you’re coming from a tradition where you’ve been communing your whole life. But use this time to watch and learn. See how the faithful approach the chalice with reverence. Notice the fasting, the confession, the care people take.
When you’re finally chrismated and receive for the first time, you’ll understand why we guard this so carefully. It’s not about keeping people out. It’s about protecting what’s most precious and making sure you’re ready to receive fire that gives life instead of fire that burns.
Come to Liturgy. Stand with us. Pray the prayers. When the time comes, you’ll approach that chalice knowing exactly what you’re receiving.
