Entering Heaven in the Liturgy

At approximately the midpoint of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom we are confronted with what may be the most difficult practical challenge of the whole service.

Let us who mystically represent the cherubim
And who sing the thrice holy hymn
To the undivided Trinity
Now lay aside all earthly care

One finds out that his taxes are worse than he thought, that his stomach is not being healed, that his back pain will not go away, that his staff has been hired out from under him, that his loan is under water, that his knee prevents him from playing with his children, and he is told to “lay aside all earthly care.”

Were it not that we “mystically repersent the cherubim” this appeal would be nonsense.

But for the remainder of the liturgy, we have mystically entered the place of the heavenly and ideal altar, where Christ Himself sits. We truly are in the presence of angels and archangels, yet He deigns to receive at our hands this liturgy.

Truly everything changes at this point in the liturgy. While we pray some of the same prayers, our perspective is altered. We are in heaven now, tasting of the first fruits, illuminated by His Holy Spirit, accepted in the Beloved.

Even the highest angels welcome us and are pleased that we are here.