And because God is “HOLY” we as sinful children cannot reign with Him in heaven unless we have been saved by the blood of Jesus.
As we say, as the priest communes:
I believe O Lord, and I confess, that Thou art trule the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who camest into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first.
And I believe that This is Thy most pure Body, and that This is Thy precious Blood, wherefore, I pray Thee, have mercy on me, and forgive my trangressions, both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, committed in knowledge and in ignorance, and make me worthy to partake of Thy most pure Body, and Thy precious Blood, for the remission of sins and unto Life everlasting.
Of Thy mystical supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant. For I will not speak of Thy mysteries to Thine enemies, nor will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief will I confess Thee: Remember me O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.
May the partaking of Thy Holy Mysteries, O Christ, be neither for my judgment, nor for my condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen.
Lord, be merciful to me, the sinner.
**For God so loved the world, that he gave **his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John3:16
When is the last time you heard that verse in church?
this morning. It is part of the priests prayers in the Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church of Ameirca.
And all Eastern Rite Orthodox throughout the world:
Priest : It is meet and right to hymn Thee, to bless Thee, to praise Thee, to thank Thee, to worship Thee in every place of Thy dominion; for Thou art God ineffable inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever existing, yet ever the same, Thou, and Thy only-begotten Son, and Thy Holy Spirit; Thou who hast called us from non-existence into being, and raised us up again when we had fallen, and left nothing undone, until Thou hast brought us into heaven and bestowed upon us Thy kingdom which is to come. For all this we give thanks to Thee, and to Thy only-begotten Son, and to Thy Holy Spirit, for all that we know and that we know not, the benefits bestowed upon us manifest and the unsees. We thank Thee also for this ministry, which Thou hast deigned to accept from our hands, even though there stand before Thee thousands of archangels, myriads of angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six winged, many-eyed, soaring aloft on their wings.
PRIEST: saying the triumphal Hymn: singing shouting, and proclaiming.
PEOPLE: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.
Priest: With these blessed powers we also, O Master, Lover of men cry and say: Holy art Thou and all holy, Thou, and Thy only-begotten Son, and Thy Holy Spirit; holy art Thou and all holy and magnificent is Thy glory,
who so loved the world that Thou gavest Thy only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but should have life everlasting; Who, having come and having fulfilled the whole Divine plan concerning us, on the night when He was betrayed, or rather, gave Himself up for the life of the world, took bread into His holy and all pure and Immaculate hands, gave thanks and blessed, (priest blesses bread) sanctified, broke and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying:
PRIEST: Take, eat, THIS IS MY BODY, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.
PEOPLE: Amen.
Priest : In like manner t (priest blesses chalice) also the chalice, after the supper, saying:
PRIEST: Drink of this all, THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.
PEOPLE: Amen.
Priest : Remembering, therefore, this salutary command, and all that was done in our behalf: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven the sitting at the right hand, the second and glorious coming.
[The priest lifts the chalice and diskos up and makes the sign of the cross with them, saying:]
PRIEST: Thine own of Thine own, we offer unto Thee, on behalf of all, and for all.