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7/10/10
I come from a strong Anglo-Catholic background and was
serving at an ordination to the Priesthood last Sunday when I heard the
presiding Bishop say:
“Receive the Holy Spirit for the office and work of a priest in the Church of
God, now committed to you by the laying on of our hands. Whose sins you forgive,
they are forgiven; whose sins you retain, they are retained. Be a faithful
minister of the word of God and of his holy sacraments: in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”
And I started to wonder how many times do use the epiclesis in our worship as we
receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism and then again during the some of the
Eucharistic Prayers when the epiclesis is pronounced on us and the elements and
at ordination.
Having, personally, received the Holy Spirit 54 years ago at my Baptism, I fail
to understand that He should be invoked for specific duties during my Christian
ministry through out my life.
I personally think the word ‘receive’ should be substituted for ‘take strength
in’
I realise this is a theological question and the epiclesis was part of the East
/ West schism, however I cannot seem to find a satisfactory answer to the
question.
Can anyone help.
MHG
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