Mormon Musings -- The Sacrament
As Primary-aged children in the 70’s, there were certain milestone events in which we took pride as evidence that we were growing up: the first time an older kid threw a ball at you in dodge ball and you deliberately caught it, the first time you were able to run up to the top of the slide on the playground without having to grab hold of the sides...and the ability to maintain the “position of reverence” throughout the blessing and passing of the Sacrament.
(For those of you who were never Primary children, the “position of reverence” was arms crossed close to the chest and head bowed...differing from the “position of prayer” only in that when you were praying, you also had your eyes scrunched tightly shut.)
This latter was, in our minds, particularly noteworthy. No longer was it necessary for us to occupy ourselves with toys or colouring books while the bread and water were being passed; in our new-found maturity, we judged such activities as amusements for “babies and little kids”. No, we could sit there quietly, with our arms across our chests and our heads bowed...just like the grown-ups.
We learn by example, however, and before long we began to notice that many of our elders were doing other things while the bread and water were being passed. Young women -- and even those young men not actively involved in the blessing and passing of the Sacrament -- were passing notes and engaging in whispered conversations; the speakers were reviewing their talks; our Sunday School teachers were going over their lessons. Our young ears caught the slow, steady breathing that we knew meant Brother Baxter had fallen asleep; we quickly learned that the reason Sister Mayweather and Sister Jeffries always came into the chapel after the Sacrament had been passed is because they would spend the time gossiping out in the foyer.
We learn by example...and we were learning that if our elders in the church were doing these things during the Sacrament, it must be OK. In time, we would lose sight of what the Sacrament was all about, and it would be relegated to just another segment of time during the Sunday meeting.
But is that really what it is? I think not. More than any other, the Sacrament is the very reason we are go to church on Sunday. It is a time when we have the opportunity to reflect upon and receive forgiveness for any sins we may have committed in the previous week, an opportunity to try again with renewed purpose and commitment. And most of all, it is a time when we remember the sacrifice that our Savior made for our sakes.
(For those of you who were never Primary children, the “position of reverence” was arms crossed close to the chest and head bowed...differing from the “position of prayer” only in that when you were praying, you also had your eyes scrunched tightly shut.)
This latter was, in our minds, particularly noteworthy. No longer was it necessary for us to occupy ourselves with toys or colouring books while the bread and water were being passed; in our new-found maturity, we judged such activities as amusements for “babies and little kids”. No, we could sit there quietly, with our arms across our chests and our heads bowed...just like the grown-ups.
We learn by example, however, and before long we began to notice that many of our elders were doing other things while the bread and water were being passed. Young women -- and even those young men not actively involved in the blessing and passing of the Sacrament -- were passing notes and engaging in whispered conversations; the speakers were reviewing their talks; our Sunday School teachers were going over their lessons. Our young ears caught the slow, steady breathing that we knew meant Brother Baxter had fallen asleep; we quickly learned that the reason Sister Mayweather and Sister Jeffries always came into the chapel after the Sacrament had been passed is because they would spend the time gossiping out in the foyer.
We learn by example...and we were learning that if our elders in the church were doing these things during the Sacrament, it must be OK. In time, we would lose sight of what the Sacrament was all about, and it would be relegated to just another segment of time during the Sunday meeting.
But is that really what it is? I think not. More than any other, the Sacrament is the very reason we are go to church on Sunday. It is a time when we have the opportunity to reflect upon and receive forgiveness for any sins we may have committed in the previous week, an opportunity to try again with renewed purpose and commitment. And most of all, it is a time when we remember the sacrifice that our Savior made for our sakes.
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