Jul 8, 2021
For many, the way the sacrament is practiced within Mormonism
can feel stale and perfunctory rather than spiritually fulfilling.
The LDS practice is very simple, beginning with a hymn, followed by
the reading of set prayers (but very rarely feeling like prayer and
supplication, an attempt to unite us in common purpose), then being
followed by boys and men (only) passing the emblems--plain bread
and tap water--to the congregation. It concludes with thanks from
the pulpit for those who administered the ordinance, and then the
regular flow of sacrament begins again. (Of course, during the
pandemic, the sacrament has been moved to the end, following the
end of the meeting being streamed to those watching from home.)
In this episode, Jody England Hansen and LDF host
Dan Wotherspoon, two people who often speak and
teach together about ritual and religious practice, offer
perspectives that they hope will help everyone deepen their
experiences during and surrounding the sacrament. Following their
sharing pieces of their own journeys to where they are now in their
thinking and practice of the sacrament, they turn the focus toward
the sacrament as a "communal meal," a time of sharing and building
community among those who choose to unite within God's love and
"Way" of being. They speak of the deep yearning we all feel to be
connected, to be included, to live with purpose that allows the
free flow of that love, that grace. Along the way, they reflect on
the ideas that often obscure us from moving into the ritual’s true
purpose, the power of simplicity in this ordinance, and much
more.
The episode contains stories, reflections, and rich insights. It is
definitely one to listen to--perhaps again and again!