Worship in Spirit and Truth

In his 84th episode reflecting on the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Tom talks about the Kiss of Peace which takes place after the celebrant declares "Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess."

Today Fr. Tom speaks about the importance of the offertory prayers said after the Great Entrance. In particular, he talks about how they are prayed in the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

Fr. Tom completes his reflections on the Great Offertory Entrance of the Divine Liturgy.

When the time has come for a priest to be ordained by the Bishop, this is done during the Divine Liturgy. Since Fr. Tom is at the place of the Great Entrance in his reflections on the Divine Liturgy, he takes us through the ordination process.

As he continues to reflect on the Great Entrance at the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Thomas speaks today about the frequent use of the word "Remember."

Fr. Tom offers a very helpful explanation of what we are actually offering in the procession of the Great Entrance in the Divine Liturgy.

In this podcast Fr. Tom begins his reflections on the words and actions of the Great Entrance with the Bread and Wine to the Altar Table.

Today Fr. Tom looks at the differences in the Antiochian tradition in the way the Proskomede is done.

Fr. Tom talks about the "star" that is placed over the bread as well as the psalms and prayers that are said when both the chalice and diskos are covered with the cloth.

Remembering all the Saints. Fr. Tom takes us through his own practice of remembering the "great cloud of witnesses" when preparing the bread and wine for the Eucharist.

Fr. Thomas explores the significance of the way the bread is cut and laid on the diskos during the preparation for the eucharist.

Fr. Thomas begins today some reflections on the rite of the preparation of the bread and the wine to be offered on the altar in the ritual called the Proskomede.

Fr. Thomas looks at the significance of using leavened bread and real wine for the Eucharist.

We now come to the time in the Divine Liturgy when the Cherubic Hymn is sung admonishing us to lay aside all earthly care and receive the King of all!

As he continues his series on the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Thomas Hopko talks about the Antimension or Altar Cloth that is on every altar in the Orthodox Church. Learn about its importance in verifying the authority of the parish to offer the Holy Gifts.

Fr. Tom now gets to the offertory procession with the Bread and the Wine which will be offered and then consecrated into the Body and Blood of Christ at the Eucharistic Anaphora of the Divine Liturgy.

Fr. Tom transitions now to the second half of the Divine Liturgy with the Litany of the Faithful.

Fr. Tom goes through the various translations of the Litany of the Catechumens and also continues his thoughts on the departure of the catechumens.

Fr. Thomas begins a difficult discussion about the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful. Who should stay and who should go? This is sure to generate a lot of conversation!

In the last episode, Fr. Tom was talking about the Litany of Fervent Supplication and emphasizing the need to pray for everyone, not just Orthodox Christians. Today, he reads from Homily 6 of St. John Chrysostom's commentary on I Timothy which affirms that requirement.