"In the Divine Liturgy, the works of the devil are destroyed."
Reverend Father, what visible and invisible effects can a believer's participation in the holy services of the Church have on them?
The goal of humanity is the sanctification of life, according to Saint Paul: "God wills that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." Elsewhere, the same apostle says: "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord."
From the church, a person receives these two things: peace and holiness, through which they have the possibility to see God. The impact of the services, of the works carried out in the church, on a person is much broader and more profound. In church, a person partakes of the grace of the Holy Spirit. In church, a person participates in the Last Supper and thus fulfills the Savior's testament: "Do this in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes."
"In the Divine Liturgy, the Works of the Devil Are Destroyed"
For example, Saint Ignatius of Antioch says: "If you often gather to celebrate the Eucharist of God, the works of the devil are destroyed. And the common confession of your faith prepares for the devil his ruin." Therefore, in the Divine Liturgy, the works of the devil are destroyed, and the ruin of his works is prepared.
People today are very afraid of spells, charms, and other things related to magic and occultism, and they are almost morbidly preoccupied with these aspects. But they do not know that in the Divine Liturgy there is the power of God, by which all these malevolent powers of the devil are thwarted, marginalized, and scattered. People so morbidly seek all sorts of exorcisms and special prayers, but Saint Ignatius tells us that the most powerful work against the devil is the Divine Liturgy.
And if we participated wholeheartedly in this service, we would feel that the fear of these malevolent powers would be replaced by our trust in God.
"Through the Holy Services, We Are Led Towards the Kingdom of God"
For example, the role of the Divine Liturgy, besides its sacramental aspect, is also catechetical. Even if no sermon were given, during the Divine Liturgy there are readings from the Epistles of the Holy Apostles and readings from the Holy Gospel. For instance, at Vespers, there are readings from the Old Testament, called paremias.
All these have a didactic role, and if we were attentive, we would have much to learn. Indeed, even during the ektenias (litanies), we can learn many things. "Let us commend ourselves and each other and our whole life to Christ our God." How much this single expression says: "our whole life to Christ our God!" Or "Let us lift up our hearts!" And again: "Let us give thanks to the Lord!"
Then, during the services, we partake of the grace of God, a grace without which our salvation is not possible.
In conclusion, the purposes of participating in the holy services are partaking of God's grace, partaking of the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, and, ultimately, partaking of the very Body and Blood of the Savior. Through these, we are led towards the Kingdom of God, and in this way, He imparts His salvation to us.