Conclusion

The wisdom of the Divine Liturgy is that in the beginning, the Antiphons present to the Orthodox worshipper the essential truths about God and his Son; immediately after this, we hear the words of Christ and the teaching of his apostles in the scripture readings. Therefore, we are first reminded Who it is that we worship, and then instructs us on our response—our marching orders. We hear of God’s “benefits” in the Antiphons, such as healing, love, mercy, and justice, and are taught to therefore “Bless the Lord.” We are told to rely only on God, and not men, for our salvation. We are taught who Jesus is and what his place is in the world. We are asked to be meek, peaceful, and merciful children of God, hungering and thirsting after righteousness. Then we receive the words of Christ in the Gospel and of his apostles in the Epistle. In response to the glory and majesty of the God we sing about, we are called to live, along with the saints, lives of prayer, worship, and service, waiting for our redemption.

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