Fr. Alexander Schmemann speaks in terms of the world being a sacrament-pointing to and participating in something beyond itself. The world in its transformation has become the resource to how humanity can offer itself for the life of this world. Sadly, today when many think of the "term" "sacrament" what comes to mind is something completely different. Seven "mysteries" that the presbyter performs in order to give a "chance" for the human to gain "salvation" through the participation of these sacraments. Now I would not want anyone to quote me by saying there is no such thing as seven sacraments but rather the point being is that salvation and life constituted within the world is not equivalent to a simple equation equaling to the magical number seven. Instead salvation, for non-western terms, living the life of the world is constituted within the body of Christ. Western ideology (theology) has destroyed this sense of living in Christ. Western ideology (theology) has brainwashed society into thinking salvation and living within the world is self-ambitious goal that we should all strive to attain. If this is true then how can a community gather together in the unity of the body of Christ? How then can we approach the Eucharist thinking that we are saved by our own self-ambition? To those who think in that respect I would say re-evaluate your thoughts. The body of Christ is not about forming the "i" and "me" but instead its about seeing Christ all in all and by living out his image (becoming an icon of Christ) then and only then can we live for the life of this world. A wise theologian once said "we were saved, we are being saved, and that we will be saved". This constitutes that best definition to how we should come and not only understanding our theology within Christ and to live it out within the context of community.
The unfortunate part is that we turn life in this world into a symbol and as Fr. Alexander says in the passage I quote at the bottom says, "to make Christ the symbol of this passing world is the ultimate in foolishness and blindness, for He came to perform exactly the opposite-to save the world by restoring it as the "symbol" of God...". By restoring the world as a symbol of God then we must come to understand the world and everything in it to constitute the goodness of God. Everything within the world is good. What makes the world "bad" is when people say this is "right" and this is "wrong". Right and wrong are subjective terms because my right and your wrong can be the complete opposite of each other. Instead everything in the world is created good but due to our fallen nature we have turned creation into the "bad" as we see it. The greatest sin is not our birth into this world but rather when we lay judgments on others and take the goodness of creation out of creation. The greatest sin is when we take that goodness and turn it into our own self-ambition thinking that it will benefit "all" when really it only benefits "me". The world then has become through the cross and resurrection the sacrament in which we must engage our lives completely. If we do not become the sacrament to the world as Christ intended it to be then there is no hope and meaning for the life of this world. Instead, through the incarnation, the cross, the tomb the resurrection we can now offer our lives as sacraments to Christ for all and in all. Just like as the Anaphora prayer of St. John Chrysostom (whom we celebrated the feast of the three hierarchs yesterday) in the culmination of the epiclesis reminds of this life for the world when the presbyter recites: "Remembering, therefore, this command of the Savior, and all that came to pass for our sake, the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the enthronement at the right hand of the Father, and the second, glorious coming, Thy own of thy own we offer unto thee, on behalf of all and for all." The culmination of the Eucharist does not involve one person but rather the entire gathered community. The community becomes the priesthood of Christ. The life of the world culminates in the gathering of the community living out the image of Christ as we are be formed into icons of Christ. Christ is in our midst; He is and ever shall be.
The following are a few quotations that inspired this blog entry:
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They hopelessly do not understand that for Christ to be "symbol” of anything in the world, the world itself must, in the first place, be known, viewed and experienced as the "symbol” of God, as the epiphany of His holiness, power and glory—that, in other terms, it is not "Christ” or "God” that have to be explained in terms of this world and of its passing needs so as to become their "symbols” but, on the contrary, it is God and God alone that has made this world His symbol, has then fulfilled this symbol in Christ and will consummate it in His eternal Kingdom. When deprived of this symbol the world becomes chaos and destruction, idol and error, and it is condemned to disappear, for the very nature of its "schema” (image, fashion) is to "pass away” (I Cor. 7:31). To make Christ the symbol of this passing world is the ultimate in foolishness and blindness, for He came to perform exactly the opposite—to save the world by restoring it as the "symbol” of God, as thirst and hunger for fulfillment in God, as "signum” of and passage into His Kingdom. And He saved it by destroying its self-sufficiency and opaqueness, by revealing in "this world” the Church—the symbol of the "new creation” and the sacrament of the "world to come.” Page 148-49. Fr. Alexander Schmeman For the Life of the World.
“He instituted for us this great Mystery of godliness, for, being determined to give Himself up to death for the life of the world”. From the institution narrative of St. Basil's liturgy.
The following are thoughts that are echoed by Father Matthew the Poor's writings on the church:
The church by its very nature is not of the world; but paradoxically enough, it is in the world and for the world! It is here to change the world for the better! ... to work for the salvation of the world!
Christ is the way, the truth, and the life; His Church is the way to eternal life, not only by her teachings and her prayers, but by bearing her cross and proclaiming her Gospel every time and everywhere. This is the mystery of the New Birth. The Church should die for the sake of others and for the world at large which the Lord loved. In this way she will bring this living love to others. She would then be a vivid manifestation of faith and an unmatched example of life in God's greatest mysteries!
It would be noticeable, above all, that divisions amongst societies and nations are due to the glaring fact that the church has missed its functional role in bringing people back to God. Her weakness has made any form of reconciliation impossible even in the areas of piety and pure spirituality, which made saints and men of God in the past, prominent leaders who were consulted by heads of states, kings and emperors.
Unfortunately it is evident that the world is moving away from the church. Church-goers are becoming lesser and lesser in number. Church attendance is on the decline and people are becoming less and less religiously minded. And, unless the church goes back to the Spirit of God by all spiritual means, no revival would be at all possible. But, it is well-known that it is impossible to be united with God without the church as she is the place of worship, communion, righteousness, faith in Christ and redemption.
A Church which is genuinely united has within its precincts the food of life for the whole world. It can offer the divine Manna of Truth and the blessed Eulogion of Grace. It can also open the jewelled gates that lead to the Eternal Life of the Celestial Jerusalem!
Worship is then a communion with God on the level of the godly service and the avowed fulfilment with His Divine Spirit. "The theology of the liturgy," Fr.. Matta states, "is not limited to worship inside the church, but it should be extended to cover the necessary religious services for the whole congregation" (p. 13). From Fr. Matthew's book entitle The Eucharist and the Liturgy.
In the Coptic Orthodox Church the distribution of the Eulogion (sacred bread) at the end of the liturgical service is a remaining element of the rite of the feast of agape. It is an emblem of blessedness and union into the one Body of the Lord.
The crucial point of this liturgical celebration is that the whole congregation becomes then one unit in the Body of the Lord and ready to receive the sacred elements. The bread and the wine are now transubstantiated and should never be crossed (i.e. making the sign of the cross upon them) again.
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