A Coal that Burns the Unworthy

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away and your sin purged."  - Isaiah 6:5-6

Notice the shape of the censer in the above picture. Everything in the church is done with purpose. The bottom part of the Orthodox Christian censer is the shape of the Eucharistic cup. It signifies the womb of the Virgin Mary and the tomb which Christ's body was laid in. Within it, the coal signifies the very body and blood of Christ which is called here in Isaiah a "coal that burns the unworthy". Not to get too far off track, but the upper piece to the censer signifies the mantle of Heaven and as the smoke rises, it goes up to heaven. Just as our prayers rise to God from us, so Christ's own prayers rise with ours'. 

The verse above tells us plainly that this coal which the Seraphim holds in his hands has the power to take away iniquity and purge sin from man. How direct this verse is, that it should point to something which would happen so long after.

What question should we have in our minds then as to the purpose of  the Eucharist? It is truly the flesh and blood of Christ and is for our very salvation.

The verse also speaks of this coal burning the unworthy. Who are the unworthy? Isaiah was still with sin before it touched his lips, so it is not the sinful, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

The unworthy are those who, as the church has always taught, are not prepared for communion with God.

So what must we do to prepare for communion? 

St. Peter says, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

And as believers, those who are baptized should also prepare with fasting and vigilance against the flesh, not only from food but from sinful things. 

Let us therefor make every effort, no matter where we are on our path towards God, to do as St. Peter and Isaiah instruct us; Repent, and be made worthy. Let us lift up our hearts! Let us struggle. Let us taste and see, how good is the Lord. (Ps. 34:8)