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Text Box: THE BASILIAN FATHERS (The Society of Clerks Secular of Saint Basil) ALLOW NEITHER YOUR SOLITUDE NOR YOUR IMPERFECTIONS TO KEEP YOU FROM YOUR PRIESTLY FUNCTIONS Especially the Divine Liturgy Having a congregation which relies on your presence every Sunday and on Great Feasts, is a great impetus to pray the Divine Liturgy. The larger the number in the congregation, the greater the incentive. Fortunately, even a few, or just one regular person in the congregation every Sunday is sufficient incentive for most Priests to pray Divine Liturgy on Sunday. But for those Priest who have no congregation there can develop an attitude of, “Why bother?” or “Of what use am I?” or even “Forget it.” These Priests may have fallen into a form of despair, for they obviously have forgotten the extraordinary nature of the Divine Liturgy and confection therein of the Sacred Eucharist. If they would but focus on this single ability which they and no others possess, to pray the Divine Liturgy and do all which that entails, perhaps they would find solace in the Divine Liturgy itself. It is far better to pray the Divine Liturgy with no other living human present than it is to omit praying the Divine Liturgy. In praying the Divine Liturgy the Priest opens in the most complete and full manner possible, direct communications, contact, and all other forms of relationship, with God. And the Priest is never alone when praying the Divine Liturgy even if no other living human is present. At every Divine Liturgy, as so aptly demonstrated by Saint Feofil, all of Heaven, all of the citizens of Heaven,

Text Box: are present. It is therefore impossible to pray Divine Liturgy and to be alone. Think of the Priest who before the Judgment Throne of God, is asked, “Why did you not pray Divine Liturgy?” and who answers, “Because I had no congregation.” You know the response from the Throne will be, “I was there.” The best method of overcoming the form of despair sometimes associated with lack of a congregation or of a large congregation is to exercise those aspects of the Priesthood which one can exercise in such circumstances. And the one aspect which a Priest can always exercise is the Divine Liturgy. Consciousness of one’s imperfections also may cause a Priest to hesitate to exercise some of his Priestly functions. While no one should presume to comprehend dogma and theology unless one has studied these, and no one should “make up an answer on the wing” and should always have a firm footing in such matters if he is to teach such matters, the very basics of dogma and theology can be found in the actual liturgy of the Divine Liturgy - particularly the Creed. The fact that a Priest is unworthy is a fact which applies to all Priests. If a Priest were to wait until he was worthy to pray Divine Liturgy, he would have to go to confession and receive absolution an instant prior to beginning the Divine Liturgy. Even then he would not be intrinsically worthy to pray the Divine Liturgy. God knows this, and allows for this, so that only a total lack of God’s essence in the Priest - definite mortal sin - should cause a Priest to not pray Divine Liturgy. Who better knows the spiritual needs of mankind than one who shares those needs? Who then can better pray with fervency that those needs be met, and the most severe temptations overcome?

Text Box: If you have not prayed Divine Liturgy in quite some time, do it now. No vestments? Put on something clean and decent. No altar? Kitchen table. No chalice? Glass from the cabinet. No paten? Plate next to the glasses in the cabinet. No spoon and lance? Kitchen drawer spoon and knife. No phospora or bread made from wheat, and no grape wine? Grocery store: just do not use rye bread or cardboard box wine or grape juice - real bread and real wine. Can not find the Altar Book? Down load the pew one from our web site, and while you are at it copy the portions of the Divine Liturgy which change from our web site and use the Sunday of the current week. Need absolution? See a Priest immediately. You do not really want to die like that. No Priest? Telephone Archbishop Paul - over the telephone is unusual but much, much better than nothing. Wife and children ridicule you? You have some people for whom to pray. + The Lord is sweet and righteous,therefore He will give a law to sinners in the way. V. He will guide the mild in judgment, He will teach the meek His ways. (Ps. 24:8-9) [The Gradual from the Divine Liturgy of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, as prayed on First Friday of the month.] + INCENSE OF THE OFFERING At the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful (immediately following the

Text Box: Think of the Priest who before the Judgment Throne of God, is asked, “Why did you not pray Divine Liturgy?” and who answers, “Because I had no congregation.” You know the response from the Throne will be, “I

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