Anaphora is derived from the Greek words, ‘Ana” or up and “Phora” or ‘to lift/carry.’ This means carrying up. The Anaphora is the actual Liturgy. The Achen going up on the step, which represents the Apostles in the Upper Room: “He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already setup.”
The service of Anaphora a.k.a the “real Liturgy” has 9 parts:
- Kiss of Peace
- Words of Institution
- Anamnesis
- Epiclesis
- Intercession
- Fraction and Commixture
- Lord’s Prayer
- Holy Communion
- Thanksgiving.
Today we will examine the Kiss of Peace & Words of Institution.
Kiss of Peace
After the Achen says the prayer of reconciliation, he greets the congregation by the custom of the time of Jesus, saying, “Peace to you all.” This comes from God so that is why the Achen kisses the Altar and then gives it to the Deacon and the Deacon gives it to the congregation. This is so because our Lord taught us to forgive, “so if you are standing before the Altar in the temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the Altar, go and be reconciled with that person.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
- The lifting up of the Shushafo, which represents the rock that Moses struck in the wilderness and also the rock that sealed the tomb of Christ is taken from Exodus 17:6, Numbers 20:11, Matthew 27:59, Mark 15:46.
- The first Benediction: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (1 Corinthians 13:14)
Are we forgiving those who hurt us?
Institution of the Eucharist
This part is there to transform us and bring us closer to the actual words of Christ our Lord in preparation for the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 26:26-27, Mark 14:22-24)
Blessed: To set apart
Consecrate: To set apart specifically
Broke: to break
The biblical perceptive: Jesus is now the one who will be the final sacrifice once and for all. But as the Lord says, “do this in remembrance of me,” and so we do this in remembrance of Jesus, but not as a symbol but as reality, as Jesus says, “this is my Body and this is my Blood.”
- And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
- “And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24)
What is the primary difference of those who believe in only “the bread” and those who believe in “the body?”