A SUPPER OF LOVE

 

Because the Saviour instituted the Sacrament following the Last Supper, the early members of the Church maintained a practice of having a meal together followed by the Sacrament. Paul advised the Corinthians against this practice, however, as the meals were sometimes consumed before all the saints arrived, resulting in discord among them (1 Corinthians 11:17-22).

This was contrary to the culture of the Near East where dining together was an expression of unity, peace and friendship. It was during a meal together that any problems and disagreements were resolved and all parties were reconciled.  Paul referred to the sacrament as ‘communion’ not just between individuals and Christ but also between fellow saints (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Since we collectively, by baptism, become the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), and since the sacrament is a renewal of our baptismal covenants, each time we partake of the sacrament, we affirm our communion with one another and with the Saviour, and thus become one. The Sacrament, therefore, becomes ‘a meal’ of unity, peace and friendship.  So united, we enjoy greater communion with Him who has brought us together by virtue of His sacrifice. (See the New Testament Institute Manual for above scripture references and their explanations)

In John's account of the Last Supper in chapters 13-15 Jesus used the word 'love' 20 times in 14 verses. This made it clear indeed that what He was about to do for them through His infinite sacrifice was a token of love and should be a token of love forever more. Then the admonition to all who would accept that love through the emblems of the sacrament: "This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12); "...this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

Jesus predicted that in our day people will not keep the commandments and because 'iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold' (Matt 24:12). His discourse on love in relation to the sacrament should be something we as the saints of latter-days seriously think about because of our responsibility to become a Zion people. 

I had always considered the Sacrament a very individual and personal ordinance between me and the Lord. The greatest spiritual connection I have felt with the Saviour was during the pandemic lockdowns when I was fortunate enough to sit at my daughter’s kitchen table and partake of the sacrament with her, her husband and my grandchildren. Each time, my emotions would surge to the point of tears.

I was reminded of the very first Sacrament where the Saviour sat at just such an ordinary table and blessed the emblems of His sacrifice. As my son-in-law passed the sacrament to me on the kitchen plate I came to know what it means to ‘eat His body’ as I have eaten off that kitchen plate before.

I didn’t fully understand it at the time but upon reflection I came to understand that the greatest reason my emotions surged was the unity I felt with those I love during my most sacred moment when I felt united in spirit with Christ. This is the power of the Sacrament….to unite us through His sacrifice with a bond that can never be broken. This is what is meant to be the body of Christ.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: In Remembrance by Brent Borup)

THE LINK

 

I wrote recently on how important the Church is in our preparation for Zion. The Church as an administrative institution is vital but the members of it even more so. If there were no members, there would be no Church.

There was a time when I was saved by two Wards I belonged to. The first was in my youth when I walked away from my family to be baptised and the second was following my divorce. I had never felt more loved and valued as I had in those two wards. I survived both crisis of enormous loss because of Church members who embraced me and would not let me become lost.

One of the greatest lessons I learnt from the Old Testament is the importance of belonging to a body of saints. Some of you will remember, when the children of Israel conquered the promised land following their captivity in Egypt, they were divided geographically by the River Jordan. The inhabitants of Canaan were ripe in iniquity and idol worship, and as a thorough and complete cleansing of the land was not achieved, they presented a very real threat to the covenant people (Joshua 23:11-16).

Among the first to receive land were the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Mannesah. They settled in the land of Gilead which divided them from the rest of Israel by the river Jordan (Numbers 34:14,15; Deuteronomy 3:12,13; Joshua 22:9). When these tribes settled they built an altar by that river.

When the rest of Israel heard of it they were outraged presuming the altar was built for idol worship. They sent Phineas, the son of Eleazor the priest, with the heads of the remaining tribes, to call these two and a half tribes to repentance. In their defense, these tribes explained that the altar was not made for any worship but was meant to stand as a witness to the rest of Israel that the tribe of Reuben, Gad and Mannesah were united with them in the worship of one true and living God.

These three tribes recognised that even though they were geographically divided from the rest, they were still a link in the chain. They knew that if they turned to the worship of other gods, the ripple effect would be detrimental to the whole House of Israel. They recognised the importance of unity in their righteousness.

Today the chain, being the Church of Jesus Christ, spreads across the globe. It unites me, who am an Australian, with you who are an American, European or African. It unites us through our faith in Him who is the Saviour of all, regardless of nationality, colour or culture.

Our faith in Christ and our commitment to that faith is our commonality. It creates a spiritual umbilical cord between us that tells us we are one. It tells us to be united in spirit, in love, in care, because you don’t know who you can one day save.

Next time you take the sacrament, think about every member in every ward in every stake in the world doing the same and that by it we are, like the Israelites of old "witnessing between us that the Lord is God" (Joshua 22:34) and thereby keeping the chain unbroken because one day this chain will bring us together to live with Him in Zion in preparation for the celestial kingdom of our eternal home.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Sacrament Meeting by Doc Christensen)

A HOLY PLACE

 

 

What would your answer be if someone asked you what you would do to prepare, if you knew the Saviour was coming tomorrow? I know what it should be: NOTHING! What could you possibly do in one day to make up for years of not doing it?

Consider what Elder Dallin H. Oaks said we should be doing in preparation for the Saviour’s return: “Are we following the Lord’s command, ‘Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly’? (D&C 87:8).

“What are those ‘holy places’? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes” (in Conference Report, April 2004, 7-8 or Ensign May 2004, 9-10)

How many of the things he has mentioned could we cram into one day? Could keeping the temple covenants for one day obliterate years of neglect? Could loving and respecting our children and parents for one day wipe away all the impatience, intolerance, anger, abuse, disobedience or animosity that we might have been inflicting on each other for a prolonged time? How about fulfilling a mission in one day or faithfully fulfilling a calling?

In the abovementioned talk, Elder Oaks says that “we need to make both temporal and spiritual preparations for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming”. He also said that the preparation most likely to be neglected is the spiritual one. The Book of Mormon teaches us the importance of this.

Sixteen years after the signs of the Saviour’s birth, the Nephites faced a huge threat of extinction by the Gadianton robbers. The governor of this band, Giddianhi, made a lofty demand of the governor of the land, Lachoneous, that the Nephites surrender all their lands. Lachoneous refused and made elaborate preparations for defense arming his people to the teeth (3 Nephi 3:13,14).

 By all accounts they should all have felt incredibly secure. But lucky for them Lachoneous was a God-fearing man and he warned his people that no matter how much physical protection they had, if they did not repent and turn to God, they will in no way be delivered out of the hands of Gadiantons (v 15). So powerful was this man that great fear came upon the people and they did all in their might to do exactly as he said (v 25).

Two other things most worthy of mention are these: 1. They appointed as the chief captain of their army someone who had the spirit of revelation and was a ‘great prophet among them’ and; 2. They gathered themselves together in ‘one land, and one body’ (v 19, 25). In other words, they were united and they had a prophet at their head. Does it remind you of the Church? Because it should.

When the most perilous times come, we will not want to be found in the world, but the most important holy place, in the Church, following the counsel of the Prophet…..only we can’t wait until the calamities strike. We need to ensure our place in the Church now and be in tune with the voice of the Prophet, now. Because after all, the calamities have already started……

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Second Coming by Brent Borup)