Fr. Alexander Schmemann on the Eucharist

Fr. Alexander Schmemann

Salvation is complete. After the darkness of sin, the fall and death, a man once again offers to God the pure, sinless, free and perfect thanksgiving. A man is returned to that place that God had prepared for him when he created the world. He stands at the heights, before the throne of God; he stands in heaven, before the face of God himself, and freely, in the fulness of love and knowledge, uniting in himself the whole world, all creation, he offers thanksgiving, and in him the whole world affirms and acknowledges this thanksgiving to be “meet and right.” This man is Christ. He alone is without sin, he alone is Man in all the fulness of his purpose, calling and glory. He alone in himself restores the ”fallen image” and raises it to God, and thus we now offer the thanksgiving of Christ, hear it and take part in it, when the celebrant begins the eucharistic prayer commanded to us by Christ, who has united us for all ages with God.

*Taken from The Eucharist.