Are we following blindly or do we have reason for what we do?

This is a very big topic and can apply to just about everything we do but my question today is specific to eating in church..

We are told from a young age to not drink or eat in church and we just accept that. To me personally I think it's a matter of respect because you wouldn't go in someone's house with your own food and eat it in front of them because it would be rude and would say a lot about your character. If we can eat, drink and do all that we do outside the church in the church, then how is it different? Is God not everywhere? Are we to starve ourselves permanently? Why is it that we only remember the Lord's presence in the church?

Also, if we aren't allowed food or drink in the church then how come we have a drink of water after taking the Blood in Holy Communion? If it's simply about washing down the Communion, why don't we just bring our favorite drink to church and drink that instead?

Hope the topic doesn't seem silly because it's an important thing to consider when we try to teach younger kids or non-orthodox people our church's rules and customs. If our reasoning is not based on something solid then it won't be respected and hence rejected.

God bless all and may the power of the Lord be with you this blessed Lent and all the days of your lives.

Comments

  • Why not eat food on the floor instead of a plate? Because the floor is not only dirty but not designed for that purpose. While the plate was designed specifically for eating. The church is designed to be a place in which God is worshipped liturgically, where we consume His flesh. We do not consume His flesh at home or anywhere else, but at church, because it was specifically designed for this. This is where we consume Christ our God and celebrate that, therefore consuming food within the church, the sanctuary and or altar area, is extremely disrespectful. Only the holy body of our Lord shall be consumed there.
  • wow, this is interestine because one time, during a fast, me and my friend went to the deli to get food. we weren't fasting and we were about to eat the food in the church and then i told my friend, that's kinda disrespectful for us to do that, (because it was a fast & we were giogg to eat fetari food in church). then she rmeinded me, she said isnt God everywhere...whats the difference betweeen eating on the sidewalk outside of church verses a wooden table in church.


    in my church, we're very used to having the church service upstairs, like tasbeha liturgy, asheya. and then downstairs, we have regular things like food is served, we have shows, meetings, dinners, the downstairs part is like a big house we all share.

    i wouldnt say that's wrong, because when we say its disrespectful to bring in food into someones house & eat it, we're thinking of the physical and human laws of courtesy. but God created food, he ate with the disciples.

    and, the water after communion, I THINK, im not sure, but it's logical to assume that it's the combination of the blood & water that poured forth from Jesus' side. & water is the molecule of life =)

    i hope this helps :)
  • Let me answer your questions with more questions...

    how can we dare to eat or drink in the House of God, standing before His Holy Throne upon the Altar?
    When we stand before God, especially in Church, we must respect our surroundings and realize that this place (the Church) has been sanctified and it now belongs to God (this is why we consecrate our Churches).

    here is another question..
    what is the point of our life here on earth? why are we living?
    we are alive because God brought us into this world and He breathed on us the Breath of Life. Did God not give the Garden of Eden to Adam and Eve? And did He not tell them to eat of every tree except from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Im not sure  understand your logic behind not eating..
    but the point of our lives is to live for the Lord! and who said we only remember the Lord's presence in church???
    do we not say in tasbeha "Seven times every day I will praise Your Name"? we do this through the Agpeya and by remembering Our Lord throughout the day in any circumstance.
    As you said, God is everywhere. so we must live as if he is always beside us, watching us, lifting us up when we humble ourselves before Him, talking to Him in prayer, and finding His answers to our prayers in the Holy Bible.

    As for why we drink water after receiving the Holy Communion, we drink a small cup of water to make sure that none of the Body or Blood is left in our mouths. We do not drink water after Holy Communion just because we are thirsty! So we obviously can not bring any other drink into the Church, let alone drink it after communion.

    You also say that these things that you stated are not coming from anything solid. But you must know that everything believe in is not entirely from the Holy Bible.  there is something called Written Tradition and Oral Tradition.
    Written Tradition is the things that we believe that were written down on an actual piece of paper, like the Gospels, the Letters of St. Paul, etc (the whole Bible was written down as inspired by the Holy Spirit).
    The Oral Tradition is the tradition that was past down from Jesus to the disciples and kept by the Fathers of the Church. Even in the Gospel of St. John, the very last verse says "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.".  So everything we do in the Coptic Orthodox Church comes directly from God and Orthodoxy is the way towards salvation.

    forgive me for the long post
    God Bless you and please pray for me and my weakness
    Enjoy your Great Lent and the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ.
  • Ioannes, I understand exactly where you are coming from. I know that we are not meant to eat in church but the situation is that I can not convince other people because my reasoning was viewed as weak.. Thats why I posted this topic in hope of getting a more deep and convincing answer. Like I mentioned, I'm trying to discipline young children in the church and we all know how much they can question everything..

    and, the water after communion, I THINK, im not sure, but it's logical to assume that it's the combination of the blood & water that poured forth from Jesus' side. & water is the molecule of life =)

    Thanks ForeverYours, I really like how you put it and I will be confirming this with Abouna next time I see him and that's probably where I should have started but its so hard to catch Abounas at my church for confession yet alone for discussions and questions.

    Marenhos Epchois, I feel like your reply was slightly off topic but I really liked the last bit from the Gospel of St. John about everything not needing to be biblical.

    Much appreciated guys :) If Abouna gives me a different angle on it I'll make sure to post.

    God bless
  • I think St Paul answers this quite explicitly in 1Corinithans 11:20-34:

    20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.

    21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

    22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

    23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

    24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

    25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

    26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

    27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

    28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

    29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

    30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

    31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

    32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

    33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.

    34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
  • 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

    I love it!

    Any ideas about the water drinking after Communion ?
  • It is to make sure that there are no elements of the eucharist in our mouth.
  • Thanks for the reply Abouna but originally my question was ..

    Also, if we aren't allowed food or drink in the church then how come we have a drink of water after taking the Blood in Holy Communion? If it's simply about washing down the Communion, why don't we just bring our favorite drink to church and drink that instead?

  • Also, if we aren't allowed food or drink in the church then how come we have a drink of water after taking the Blood in Holy Communion? If it's simply about washing down the Communion, why don't we just bring our favorite drink to church and drink that instead?

    The answer is simply the Holy Tradition. This is what the Church received.

    Thanks
  • Water is not just a drink, in the sense that it hasn't got anything added like our favourite drinks. It is just water as God made it, it is pure, it is not being used because it is tasty, but for the function of washing our mouths, for which pure water is the ideal liquid.

    And it IS the tradition of the Church. We do what we are told because we are obedient not because we are blindly following others.
  • Blindly is a bit extreme but unfortunately that's how I felt when I could not answer this question when it was addressed to me.. but now I can :) So thanks again and please keep me in your prayers.
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