Brush those teeth...or not.

[Elpidophoros]

Hasn't read the...  Canon of Preparation for Communion?

Oh,I'm sorry ,I missed some words here.
The most common preparation(metaleipseos)is 3 psalms +Canon of Preparation for Communion+10 prayers.
In some traditions add other 3 canons+ 1 akathist....(I'm sure that some OCA churches do this...)

Ahh, the rituals we put up to keep people FROM receiving the Life of the Holy Eucharist.

Why not?
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

[PeterTheAleut]

Ahh, the rituals we put up to keep people FROM receiving the Life of the Holy Eucharist.

Why not?
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

Because Jesus said, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

[Elpidophoros]

Because Jesus said, "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

And St.Mary the Egyptian ate twice（once after her metanoia,once before her blessed sleeping ),she got less life in her than us?

[Pravoslavbob]

And St.Mary the Egyptian ate twice（once after her metanoia,once before her blessed sleeping ),she got less life in her than us?

Are you saying that we are just as holy as St. Mary of Egypt and therefore don't need to go to communion regularly?  Very few people have the vocation to lead the life of an isolated hermit.  St. Mary was definitely one of those people. 

[Pravoslavbob]

Hasn't read the...  Canon of Preparation for Communion?

Oh,I'm sorry ,I missed some words here.
The most common preparation(metaleipseos)is 3 psalms +Canon of Preparation for Communion+10 prayers.
In some traditions add other 3 canons+ 1 akathist....(I'm sure that some OCA churches do this...)

No amount of prayer and fasting can ever make one "worthy" to receive communion.  There is never a communion that is not given or received by a sinner, ever.  To think otherwise might amount to the worst kind of pride imaginable.  BTW, I do not mean by this that people should not do whatever is realistically possible to prepare themselves to receive the Gifts. 

[Elpidophoros]

Hasn't read the...  Canon of Preparation for Communion?

Oh,I'm sorry ,I missed some words here.
The most common preparation(metaleipseos)is 3 psalms +Canon of Preparation for Communion+10 prayers.
In some traditions add other 3 canons+ 1 akathist....(I'm sure that some OCA churches do this...)

No amount of prayer and fasting can ever make one "worthy" to receive communion.  There is never a communion that is not given or received by a sinner, ever.  To think otherwise might amount to the worst kind of pride imaginable.  BTW, I do not mean by this that people should not do whatever is realistically possible to prepare themselves to receive the Gifts. 

Amen and amen!
This is why we should keep the "idealist superfluous severe practice of  Preparation for Communion" so let almost no one can fulfill them perfectly even literally.So let everyone who received realize that he only received according to oikonomia and out of the Mercy of the Merciful One.

[Pravoslavbob]

Well, I can see that although we agree on some things here, there are others that we are not going to agree on, so I will stop here.  In any event, this discussion is better suited to the thread begun by PtA on the issue and the links provided by him there together with the thread itself deal with the issue quite extensively, as you are aware.

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,19491.0.html

[PeterTheAleut]

Amen and amen!
This is why we should keep the "idealist superfluous severe practice of  Preparation for Communion" so let almost no one can fulfill them perfectly even literally.So let everyone who received realize that he only received according to oikonomia and out of the Mercy of the Merciful One.

Reply posted here:  http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,19491.msg288271.html#msg288271

[rwprof]

I have been taught that we should not brush our teeth before Liturgy, but this does not seem to be a universal practice.

Is this a common practice?

Gregory

This is yayaology. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYONE AROUND YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH AND USE MOUTHWASH!!!!!!!

If you brush your teeth correctly you will not be breaking a fast since you should not be swallowing any of the items you use to keep your mouth fresh and clean. Also please shower before liturgy and use deodorant. Lastly SAY NO TO BIRKENSTOCKS!!!!

Amen!

[Douglas]

I'm new here (as you can tell from my post number  ) and so I'll tread lightly. It seems to me that brushing our teeth and caring for our bodies (regardless of whether we accidentally swallow some water or not) is an important preparation in communing with those around us. It's certainly never been in an issue in the 20 or so years that I've been Orthodox. And as the last poster mentioned, it's amazing the things the rigorists come up with which intentionally or unintentionally prevent us from communing of His Body and Blood. I doubt it pleases our Lord and Savior.

[Fr. David]

So...what's wrong with Birkenstocks?  Νεκταριος just mentioned them in his "Converts and fake accents" thread, and they're yelled about here...just curious.  Never owned a pair, don't know what the stigma is regarding the apparent penchant some krazy konverts have towards them...

[Elisha]

Their vacant former HQ is 20 miles away from me....less than a mile from two former employers!

[EkhristosAnesti]

I think this is one of those matters to be assessed in light of the "the law was made for man, not man for the law" dictum.

A Coptic Saint of the 12th century stipulated that one should not gargle water before partaking of the Eucharist because of "the mystery of God’s words to His servant Moses, that the Passover lamb, which was an example of the Body of Christ, was to be eaten with bitterness"--a bitterness that was to signify our corruption, and hence our need to participate in the incorruption of Christ's Humanity.

When asked about whether one should clean their teeth before Communion, HH Pope Shenouda answered that one should for the same reason one should clean their house in preparation to receive a royal guest.

In my humble opinion, when it comes to dealing with seemingly frivolous issues such as the one the subject of this thread, the main focus should be on how one's approach to it affects him/her spiritually. If the bitterness of a dry morning mouth helps, even in the slightest, to inspire a repentant approach to the Eucharist, then that is a good thing. If brushing one's teeth helps, even in the slightest, to enforce a conscious awareness that the bread and wine to be consumed are truly the Body and Blood of the Almighty King, then that is a good thing. And of course, as in all things, in the absence of any strict ruling on the matter (and to my knowledge there is none), any determination as to what is in one's spiritual favour is to be made under the guidance of the relevant authorities.

[Elisha]

EkhristosAnesti,

I like your answer.  For me though, I come from the point of view of one who sings regularly in the choir.  In this circumstance, things like brushing teeth and even drinking water or other things (and then of course not partaking of Communion) are necessary to provide that joyful noise and leadership for singing.  As one who has the gift of singing, I need to be able to perform and there are physiological needs to do this.  Physically speaking, if you are not serving or singing (i.e. a Joe Schmoe parishoner), you pretty much just need to be able to crawl to the Communion line, sacrificing all other bodily needs (food/water).  But if you are singing/chanting, then there are different circumstances.  I really haven't read of any "accomodations" per se for those that sing/chant.

(Sidebar:  10 years ago, while still in college and attending a small mission, the priest, during a Presanctified, fell to his knees about 2/3 the way through the service.  He recovered, served Communion and was subsequently fed, but it was a scary event.  He was not young (late 50's or early 60's), but fasting for Lent as well as taking High Blood pressure medication.  The paramedics were actually called and waited outside.  As much as we need to stress fasting, we also need to take medical conditions into account.  This priest, while well intentioned, should have eaten and drunk something around noon at least to avoid this happening, but ce la vie.) 

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