"Concerning Frequent Communion"

"Concerning Frequent Communion of the Immaculate Mysteries of Christ" by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite.  This book was such a spiritual enriching read! I think it is the most comprehensive text when it comes to the Mystery of Communion. This book is packed full of supporting texts from Holy Scripture, Church Fathers, Hierarchs. It has truly given me new insight into the Holiness and Blessedness that is the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ. Every person who desires and yearns to feel and understand more about the preciousness of this Mystery needs to read this book. This should be taught to chatecumens as part of entry into the Holy Orthodox Church. I will definitley be posting quotes from the book on my website. 

Interesting Facts: 

• The first edition of the book was written by an anonymous author who titled the work "A handbook demonstrating that Christians must partake of the divine Mysteries more frequently."

• It was sent to the Phanar by an "evil-minded monk of the Holy Mountain." This book was banned by Ecumenical Patriarch Gabriel IV and everyone was ordered by Synodal decree that anyone who spoke or wrote about this book would be anathematized.

• The book was vindicated by Patriarch Neophytos VII by an Epistle to the "most-holy Father Makarios, Metropolitan of Corinth."

• Met. Makarios gave the book to St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite to be worked on and revised. It was published in the year 1783.

• The book is divided into 3 parts. 1) Concerning the Lord's Prayer. 2) The subject of frequent Communion. 3) Responses to the objections raised against frequent Communion. It also contains two appendixes. Appendix A divides up what the Divine Eucharist Represents in 3 forms, 1) The Greatness of the Gift. 2) The love of the person giving the gift. 3) The benefit enjoyed by the person receiving the gift

Excerpts from the book:

"And in addition to all the other things He left us in this present life as a fatherly inheritance and inexhaustible treasure, are the seven Holy and august Mysteries of the Church, namely, Baptism, Chrismation, Communion, the Priesthood, Marriage, Repentance (Confession), Communion, and Holy Unction, so that we may use them as the spiritual and chiefly necessary means for the healing and salvation for our souls.  Of these seven, the most necessary and soul-saving are Holy Baptism and the Holy Communion of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"Secondly, with this prayer (the Lord's Prayer), they forgive all of the debts and trespasses of their brothers, thus purifying their heart of rancor and of any resentful feelings, which is necessary preparation for Communion..."

"For not only did He, out of His infinite goodness, raise us up who had fallen into sin, but He also delivered laws of prayer to us which both direct us towards God and benefit the human race...For this reason, as is proper, the very beginning of the Lord's Prayer elevates our intellect to the highest principle of theology...."

"...all faithful Orthodox Christians are children of God through faith and by the grace of Jesus Christ."

"According to uur being, that is, according to our formation and creation, God is and is called the Father of all men, both of believers and of unbelievers.  We, then, are obligated to love all men, since they are honored and fashioned by the hands of God.  Only evil and impiety should we hate, and not anything fashioned by God.  And according to well-being, namely, according to the reformation of Baptism, we Orthodox Christians must love one another even more, because we are doubly united, according to nature and according to grace."

"If, the, we wish for faith to be rooted within us, we need to live a pure life."

"So if we forgive our brothers their few and small faults committed against us, not just with our lips...but with our whole heart, God will certainly also forgive us our great and innumerable faults committed against Him."

"All Orthodox Christians are commanded to receive Communion frequently.  First, by the orders of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.  Second, by the Acts and Canons of the Holy Apostles and sacred Councils and by the testimonies of the divine Fathers.  Third, by the very words, the order, and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.  Fourth, by Holy Communion in and of itself."

"...divine Communion is a necessary constituent of the spiritual life in Christ."

"If you also desire to kill the passions of the flesh, go to Communion frequently and you will succeed."