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Come, then, O son of the Mystery of the sons of the Church, learn the. . .

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Come, then, O son of the Mystery of the sons of the Church, learn the order by which you may near to the priesthood, that you may approach it in the manner that the apostle Paul enjoined. With a pure heart approach, the Body and Blood of our Lord which cleanse you from the stains of your offences which you have committed; the priests will not recoil from a sinner who wishes to return, nor from one defiled who mourns and is distressed for his defilement.

-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit

All the sons of the Church rejoice, and all the people, when they see. . .

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All the sons of the Church rejoice, and all the people, when they see the Body setting forth from the midst of the alter; and even as the apostles rejoiced in our Lord after His resurrection, so do all the faithful rejoice when they see Him.

-St. Narsai Harp of the Spirit

He who approaches to receive the Body. . .

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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. . .

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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

All the Priests who are in the sanctuary. . .

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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

First and foremost, the monk should. . .

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First and foremost, the monk should own nothing in this world, but he should have as his possessions solitude of the body, modesty of bearing, a
modulated tone of voice, and a well-ordered manner of speech. He should be without anxiety as to his food and drink, and should eat in silence.”

St. Basil The Great

Let us take refuge from. . .

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Let us take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show.

-Saint Ambrose of Milan

O most merciful Father, put. . .

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O most merciful Father, put far from me all my iniquities and all my offences; so that, by Thee made whole in body and in soul, I may be accounted worthy to approach the Holy of holies.

-Saint Ambrose of Milan

St. John Chrysostom: Were you to stand in the presence of the king you would not even dare. . .

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“You have entered the Church, O Man; you have been held worthy of the company of Christ. Go not out from it: unless you be sent. For if go out from it without being sent you will be asked the reason; as if you were a runaway. You spend the whole day on things which relate to the body, and you cannot give a couple of hours to the needs of the soul? You go often to the theatre. And you will not leave there till they send you away. But when you come to the Church you rush out before the Divine Mysteries are ended. Be fearful of Him Who has said: He that despiseth anything, shall it be despised (Prov. xiii. 13).

Were you to stand in the presence of the king you would not even dare. But when you stand in the presence of the Lord of all, you do not stand there in fear and trembling, you laugh, provoking him to anger? Do you not see that by this conduct you provoke Him more by your very sins? God is not wont to be as angry against those who sin as against those who, when they have sinned, feel neither sorrow regret.”

— St. John Chrysostom, On the Respect Due to the Church of God and to the Sacred Mysteries

 

St. John Chrystostom: Do you wish to honor the Body of the Savior?

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Do you wish to honor the Body of the Savior? Do not despise it when it is naked. Do not honor it in church with silk vestments while outside it is naked and numb with cold. He who said, “This is my body,” and made it so by his word, is the same who said, ‘You saw me hungry and you gave me no food. As you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.’ Honor him then by sharing your property with the poor. For what God needs is not golden chalices but golden souls.”

+ St. John Chrysostom, Homily 50, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew