He who approaches to receive the Body Stretches forth his hands, lifting up his right hand and placing it over its fellow. In the form of a cross the receiver joins his hands; and thus he receives the Body of our Lord upon a cross.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
For when the time of the passion of the Lifegiver of all was arrived, He ate the legal passover with His disciples. He took bread and blessed and brake and gave to His disciples, and said, This is My Body in truth, without doubt. And he took the cup and gave thanks and blessed and gave to His apostle’s, and said, This is My true Blood which is for you. And He commanded them to receive and drink of it, all of them, that it might be making atonement for their debts for ever.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
He was laid in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes, as a man and the watches extolled Him with their praises, as GOD.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
Blessed is he that makes his heart peaceful at the hour of the Mysteries, for all his debts and hateful deeds shall be forgiven him.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
Then the herald of the Church commands all the people to give the Peace, each one to his companion, in the love of our Lord. First the priests give the Peace in the midst of the sanctuary; and the people also give it in the nave in the same manner. It behooves him that gives the Peace to his brother in the Church too wash his heart from all hatred and anger and lust.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
In His awful character and office, an object of awe even to the seraphim, the son of dust stands in great fear as mediator. The awful King, mystically slain and buried, and the awful watchers, standing in fear in honour of their Lord! The ranks of the watchers surround the alter in that hour, as Chrysostom has borne witness who saw them.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit.
The adorable alter is a symbol of that throne of the Great and Glorious, upon which He will be seen by watchers and men in the day of His revelation.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
All the Priests who are in the sanctuary bear the image of those apostle’s who met together at the sepulchre. The alter is a symbol of our Lord’s tomb, without doubt; and the Bread and Wine are the Body of our Lord which was embalmed and buried
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
The Church performs her Mysteries in secret away from those that are without; and the Priest celebrates privately within the sanctuary. Only her Children and her sons, the baptised and the signed, does she allow to enjoy communion in these adorable Mysteries which she performs.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
Come, then, O son of the divine Mystery, hear the record, marvellous to tell, of the Mysteries of the Church. I have a Mystery ( or secret ), I have a mystery, I have a mystery’ I and mine, the prophet cries: with understand, then, hear the mystery that is expounded to you.
-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit
