God’s Great Reset through Eucharistic Fire

A new twist on the circus of spoons
The mission of the Orthodox Church
Holy Tradition
The practice of Holy Communion
Divine use transforms matter – and us
Trial by Fire
God’s great reset

A New Twist on the Circus of Spoons

Sometime during the first week of September, the Greek Orthodox priests of Ontario received a secret memo from the Greek Canadian Archdiocese regarding the distribution method of Holy Communion. This memo had no date, was signed by one of the new auxiliary bishops of Canada, his Grace Bishop Athenagoras, and it indicated at the very bottom that the “text is for the use of the Reverend Fathers and the Boards of Directors of our Communities only and not to be disseminated via Social Media.” This is the type of secrecy we have seen before. Furthermore, the memo was to all “Greek Orthodox Communities across Ontario,” which makes it hard to keep a secret.

The memo makes reference to the revised Toronto Public Health Covid-19 Guidance which was issued on August 28, 2020. What does a Toronto Public Health document have to do with all of Ontario? This is a question, which has been asked before of Archbishop Sotirios, and to which an answer is still pending.

The revised document, which once again, is a recommendation and not a law, includes the following:

Suspend activities that increase the risk of disease transmission, which include:
Touching or close physical contact between people (e.g. hugging, handshaking)
Sharing and/or distributing objects and materials (e.g. common chalice, utensils including spoons, plates, receptacles and washing facilities; holy water stoup; books, microphones, prayer mates, prayer shawls, water, chalices, collection/offering plates).

An older Public Health Covid-19 Guidance issued on June 11, 2020 stated, “discontinuing communion is strongly recommended at this time.” This advice is not any different from the advice to suspend the use of a common chalice or spoon – “objects and materials that increase the risk of disease transmission” – in the eyes of a public health department.

However, in the eyes of the Orthodox Church, the Holy Chalice and the Holy Lavida (Spoon) do not increase the risk of transmission, as they are coated in the Body and Blood of Christ. Therefore, this Public Health Guidance does not apply to, and has no place in, the Orthodox Church or mindset. Accordingly, as soon as the lockdown in Toronto ended, all Greek Orthodox churches re-opened and communed the faithful normally for three Sundays in a row, from June 14-28 inclusive. Suddenly, our Archdiocese interrupted our 1,200-year old Holy Liturgical Tradition of using a common spoon. Holy Communion was suspended the following week (Sunday, July 5^th) and arbitrarily altered the week after (Sunday, July 12^th) by the imposition of the multiple communion spoons. This innovation was followed by the wine-bread, which thankfully did not take effect (at least not yet, for it still may), and now we have yet another innovative change. One may begin to wonder if our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Canada is vying for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most ecclesiastical innovations in the shortest period of time.

Since the Covid-19 Toronto Public Health Guidance has not fundamentally changed, what, then, has changed? In the memo to the Greek Orthodox Communities across Ontario, the priests and their community councils are now given one of three choices:

Continue with the distribution of Holy Communion with individual Lavides for each parishioner
Proceed with the distribution of Holy Communion with one Lavida for all persons
Give the choice to the parishioners to receive Holy Communion with the same Lavida, or with different Lavides for each one of them

The caveat and closing statement in the memo is:“Whatever choice you make, your Community will be solely responsible for all consequences.”

While this may seem like a ‘victory’ to some, or at least a step in the right direction, it is in fact, a greater loss. Just when we thought that the Holy Eucharist could not be dishonoured any further than being washed in a sink or disinfected in a vat, our venerable Archbishop has increased the indignity by relegating the Eucharist to the level of a fast food chain. Now, the faithful can choose between a ‘single-spoon church’, a ‘separate-spoon church’ or a ‘single-separate combo church’. Our new heresy, ladies and gentlemen, is Ortho-Protestantism – I will go to the church that suits me and you will go to the church that suits you. While our church leader withdraws, absolving himself of any personal and legal responsibility, he not only continues the heresy and the blasphemy, he also sows new seeds of schism by setting the stage for further conflict and divisions among us, within our own parishes, our communities and even our families. In addition, the Apostasy march towards Ecumenism and a false union with Rome continues. Now that his Eminence has solved the impracticality problem of “too many spoons” during Christmas and Easter with the ‘combo-spoons,’ we can probably expect the multiple spoons to stay in one form or another for the long term, unless we, ourselves, refuse them.

Although some people may welcome these communion “choices”, this is not the type of pastoral leadership the Orthodox faithful need. We do not need a Pontius Pilate who will wash his hands of a litigious threat because he is too afraid of Caesar! Neither do we need someone who divides the Church to improve his popularity at the polls. Nor do we need a hierarch who has suddenly realized that he began his Ecumenist Experiment rather badly and now thinks he should have given the laity a choice from the very beginning, to more accurately estimate just how many will readily follow a false union with Rome or not, when that time comes. Additionally, the droves of Orthodox faithful that left their parishes to commune in other traditional Orthodox churches was palpable, as was the associated drop in church incomes. In the end, money usually does the talking, but the Orthodox faithful need a bishop through whom the Holy Spirit does the talking, not mammon.

Some good news is that in one of the ‘combo’ churches of Toronto, after about a dozen or so parishioners communed with separate spoons, a much larger number of faithful waited until the very end to commune with the One Holy Lavida. Even better news is that at St. Kosmas Monastery in King City, only the single communion spoon was offered. Glory to God for that! Clearly, that should be the only option, for there should be no multiple spoons in any Orthodox Church, and here are the reasons why:

The Mission of the Orthodox Church

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Orthodox Church is not a democracy or a public opinion forum. There is no role in the Orthodox Church for fears, likes, dislikes or personal preferences. The Orthodox Church does not adapt or cater to secular laws or people’s individual wishes or concerns. If she did, she would have been secularized and her mission would have been annulled long ago. The Church makes decisions based on her dogmatic teachings which are the criterion of God’s will. Her singular aim is to lead us to the one and only timeless, constant and unchangeable Truth – God. This cannot be done by catering to the whims and preferences of fearful or doubting individuals. Members of the Orthodox Church are those who, putting the One, True God first and foremost, align themselves to HIS will and not the other way around. Why? Because no man or woman invented Orthodoxy; it was revealed to us by Almighty God, Himself. He is “the author and finisher of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Holy Tradition

In his June 15, 2020 article, entitled: “When Holy Communion is Fought by Bishops!” Metropolitan of Piraeus, Seraphim, states that the traditional method of giving Holy Communion with the one common Holy Lavida has been an established part of the Life of the Church for about 1,200 years. Therefore, although this method of distribution has not been specifically addressed by any Ecumenical or local Synod it has become a fundamental element of our Holy Ecclesiastical Tradition. As such, what applies to it is the Holy Scripture reading from St. Paul’s 2 Thessalonians 2:15: “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

By definition, Holy Tradition (Ιερα Παραδοση) is the deposit of faith given by Jesus to the Apostles and passed on in the Church from one generation to the next without addition, alteration or subtraction. Theologian, Vladimir Lossky, described Holy Tradition as “the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church.”

Holy Tradition includes Holy Scripture, the decisions of the Holy Ecumenical Synods, Liturgical Worship and the teachings of the Patristic Fathers. Holy Tradition began as the unwritten teachings of Christ, which were first conveyed orally by the Apostles, and then primarily through sermons and letters written by Bishops and Priests during the first three centuries of Christianity. For example, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, St. Paul writes, “For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received.” (1 Corinthians 15:13). St. John the Evangelist writes, “Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink; but I trust to come unto you and speak face to face that our joy may be full.” (3 John 1:13-14). John concluded his Gospel with, “And there are, also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21: 25)

One clear example of oral teaching in the New Testament is found in Acts 20:35 when Paul addresses the Ephesian elders and says, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Since Luke, the author of Acts, does not record this saying in his own Gospel, nor does it appear in any of the four Gospels, this is another witness to the sayings of Jesus being transmitted in an oral tradition.

As Christ’s Church grew and evolved, so did the Church’s prayer life, worship, sayings and practices, music, art and architecture. The Divine Liturgy developed from the early Christian worship services. As Christ ordained His Apostles, and as they ordained Bishops, Priests, and Deacons to succeed them, an unbroken chain of Apostolic Succession was formed to the present day, along with Church organization and government. New miracles in the name of Christ took place and new saints witnessed and were martyred for their faith. These events were continuously recorded and engraved in the memory of the Church through the use of art, music and literature to edify future generations. Alongside these, New Testament literature was also written as well as the Creed of Faith and other writings to combat heresies and false teachings. This unbroken, living continuity with the ancient Christian Church can be summed up as Sacred or Holy Tradition. Furthermore, every aspect of Holy Tradition is based on the New Testament Canon, which requires Apostolicity, Catholicity and Conformity as the fundamental basis and foundation for Church authority.

During the fourth century, Archbishop St. Basil, theologian and scholar, emphasized Holy Tradition’s central importance as follows: “Of the doctrines and injunctions kept by the Church, some we have from written instructions, but some we have received from Apostolic tradition by succession in private. Both the former and the latter have the same force in piety; and this will be contradicted by no one who has ever so little knowledge in the ordinance of the Church. For were we to dare to reject unwritten customs, as if they had no great importance, we should insensibly mutilate the Gospel, even in the most essential points, or rather, for the teaching of the Apostles leave but an empty name.”

If Holy Tradition is the Life of the Holy Spirit in the Church, the practice of the common communion spoon for over 1,200 years has made it a fundamental part of the Life and Holy Tradition of our Church. Any arbitrary innovation to this practice is not only unnecessary, but very wrong, as it cuts to the core of the Faith and endangers the Orthodox Church on many levels. The core of our Faith is the Body and Blood of Christ which was shed and broken for us on the cross, and of which we partake with fear of God, faith and love in order to be united with Him. Without this, we have no Life and no Resurrection or Salvation. “…unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day…” (John 6: 53-54)

The Practice of Holy Communion

During the first 800 years of Christianity, the manner of distribution of Holy Communion during Divine Liturgy ‘changed’ (but not really) three times, not because of any problem with the Eucharist, but because of how we would receive it due to our sinful nature. When we received it in the hand or from a tong, we would drop it, spill it, or take it home to do bad things with it. Even before the common communion spoon became a widespread liturgical practice, it was used as early as the 1^st century to commune the ill at home who could not take it in the hand and/or sip it from a chalice.

The common communion spoon first became a liturgical practice in Constantinople as early as the 7^th century and it was first mentioned as a common liturgical practice in all of Byzantium by the Photian Synod of 867 AD. (Byzantine Communion Spoons, A Review of the Evidence by Robert F. Taft S.J.) Because the first century spoon worked the best for communing the sick, it eventually became widely adopted and has stood the test of time as being the most easily accessible by all – the very young, the very old and the very ill – and the least vulnerable to the abuses of the laity. In other words, taking Holy Communion in a manner which assumes that we are all sick, which we spiritually are, has stood the test of time the longest. Our Holy Orthodox Church has never been averse to modernization or change, provided that the change facilitates her salvific mission and does not deter it. A good example of a salvific modern change is the use of social media or the internet to spread the Gospel.

There are those, including some clergy, who have criticized the practice of the common communion spoon as being ‘archaic’ or belonging in a ‘museum.’ Such people either do not appreciate the spoon’s centuries of success, or they agree with the Ecumenist agenda, which is to alter the Holy Eucharist sufficiently as to facilitate a false union with Rome in the future.

Divine Use Transforms Matter – and Us

A new teaching from Father Calivas and Archbishop Elpidophoros, which is now also being promoted by Archbishop Sotirios, endorses that although the Body and Blood of Christ cannot transmit disease, the “tools with which we offer Holy Communion are perishable and earthly” and therefore the Holy Chalice and the Holy spoon may transmit disease. This is a false teaching. When “perishable and earthly” tools are dipped into the Life-giving Body and Blood of Christ, they become holy and sanctified forever by the uncreated energy and Grace of the Holy Spirit which is transmitted to them. For this reason, they can never be used for any other purpose ever again. For this reason also, one must never bring one’s own spoon for Holy Communion and take it back home again. God’s uncreated Grace is transmitted to these sacred vessels just as it is transmitted to the holy relics of the Saints and the holy icons that are windows to paradise. This is why we venerate them – to receive this Grace. Therefore, it is impossible to receive, through any act of faithful worship, viruses and other communicable diseases.

Trial by Fire

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, if we receive Holy Communion not believing in the uncreated Grace of God, demonstrating fear of contamination from Him, then we do not receive sanctification and Life; rather, we receive judgement and Death. “…whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have died.” (1 Corinthians 11: 27-30)

“In an unworthy manner” means coming to Christ with hidden immorality, disunity, doctrinal heresy or disorder, failing to see the gifts of God as holy things for holy people. Being worthy does not mean being sinless, but being cleansed, through true repentance and the sacrament of Confession. Worthiness is not legalism but a sincere commitment to walk in righteousness before God. Holiness does not mean perfection. It means putting God above all else.

In Isaiah 6:1-13, the Old Testament prophet experiences the Holy Eucharist in a vision when one of the seraphim touches his lips with a burning coal from the Temple altar, saying “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin is forgiven.” (Isaiah 6:7) Immediately, Isaiah’s misgivings melted away and he accepted the call as a fearless prophet of God. The burning coal symbolizes Christ, whom we receive from the altar. His divine nature is like a fire which consumes our sins and enlightens our hearts. It ignites us with an ardent desire for God and deifies us. However, if we are not worthy of this fire, we become self-condemned, as we eat and drink judgement unto ourselves.

God’s Great Reset

Most of us have heard of the Great Reset and the New World Order which are supposed to usher in the Antichrist. Some believe that these are ‘conspiracy theories’ while others believe that we are at the beginning of the Eschatological Age. According to Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou, we are not yet living in the time of the Antichrist; we are living in the Time of the Great Test which precedes the Antichrist. Our faith is being tested by the fire of the Holy Eucharist, which has literally become the epicentre of this Great Test. This may just be God’s Great Reset which is preceding any other global plans that secular masterminds may be orchestrating.

Whatever our wayward church officials or world powers may be doing or planning for the future, it is all in vain, because God is the one who is in control here. He is in the process of ‘resetting’ His Holy Orthodox Church by testing its members with the issues that currently surround the Holy Eucharist. Those who pass the test, with fear of God, Faith and Love, be they clergy or laity, shall become ignited members of the Body of Christ who fearlessly confess their faith in the one, true, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Those who fail the test by falling into the temptations of the declining world, by fearing contamination from the Holy Eucharist, and by having a greater esteem for medical science than the Giver of Life – these will fall away through the wide and easy gate of the pan-heresy of Ecumenism. In this manner, the Orthodox Church will become purged in the Trial by Fire that we are in the process of experiencing now – the Fire of the Holy Eucharist.

Let us be of good courage, exercising patience. When God puts His plans into motion, we can be sure that His Church will not only prevail – She will triumph! If we remain faithful and true to Christ, we shall triumph with Her!