10 January 2011
New Lutheran Quote of the Day
"The holy things for the holy ones." Thus the deacon calls to the faithful, who are invited to receive the body and blood of our Lord. They are invited, others are not; closed communion. A line is drawn: inside is the joy of the gifts, the holy things, the body and blood of our Lord; outside is the Law, aiming at repentance. -- Dr. Norman Nagel, Lutheran Forum, May, 1991, p. 26.
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3 comments:
Is he not referring to St. John Chrysostom's Liturgy? The "Holy Things are for the Holy" is a Priest part, not a Deacon part. Maybe that has changed, I'm sure he knows more than I.
As an aside, this phrase has such a beautiful response from the faithful, "One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. "
Correct; I'm not sure where he got deacon from. In the ancient anaphorae it is usually given to the bishop (who was, of course, principal celebrant).
And that response seems to be related to the Greater Gloria, doesn't it?
Thou only art holy
Thou only art the Lord
Thou only, O Christ,
With the Holy Ghost,
art most high
in the glory of God the Father.
“They are invited, others are not; closed communion”. Actually, all that hear “Holy Things for the Holy” are invited because the statement of closed communion is really much earlier in the Liturgy at “All ye catechumens, depart!" And the "doors the doors….” with the dismissal of the Catechumens.
For me (and I’m no Liturgical expert), the key to understanding “Holy things for the Holy” is the response, “One is Holy”. Yes, we are those who have been Baptized and Chrismated and are among the “Holy” who may partake, but in the end only one is Holy….and it is he who is “the Offerer and the Offered”
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