When a funeral is a good thing

In April our stake president attended our ward sacrament meeting and instructed us on the proper observance of the ordinance of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. He said that we should treat sacrament meeting as the Savior's funeral. Now, that statement could be taken in a very morbid, macabre way, but that is not how he meant it. In fact, proper Latter-day Saint funerals are not morbid. They can be some of the most spiritually uplifting events we can attend. The same should be true of sacrament meetings, when we come in the proper spirit.

I have been to many funerals. The first thing I notice about a funeral is that everyone comes prepared. No one just drops by casually. All come with a purpose in mind and with a sense of what is going to happen. I am always struck by the sense of reverence that prevails over the congregation and over the very place where the service is held. We come seeking peace and assurance and solace. We share a common bond as a congregation - a love for the person who has passed on or for the family who has been left behind. That bond creates a unity of purpose and feeling, which invites the Spirit of the Lord to be present.

Such can also be our feelings when we enter sacrament meeting. If we all come with a purpose, seeking peace and assurance and solace for our sins, with an intention to repent and improve, if we come with love for the Savior and in reverence for the sacrifice he made for us, we as a congregation can be united, and that unity will bring the Spirit of the Lord.

Loss and Mourning

Common at a funeral are feelings of loss and mourning for being separated from the ones we love. During the sacrament we can recognize the feelings of loss for our separation from Christ because of our sins, and we can mourn the price he had to pay to overcome our sins.

The purpose of a funeral is to reflect on, remember, respect, and celebrate the life of the deceased. During the service we typically recall the fine and good things the person has done, and we hear others who knew that person well talk about their experiences with him and how they felt about him. We do the same in a sacrament meeting. We speak of Christ's love, his miracles, his matchless life, and his supernal sacrifice. We reflect on how his Atonement has impacted our life.

I have been to funerals where I did not know the person well. Rather, I go to support a friend who has lost a loved one in keeping with my covenant to "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort." I have been fascinated by the things I have learned about this relative stranger. Similarly, I love learning about the Savior in sacrament meeting from others who know him better, or at least differently, than I do. When I listen carefully, I always come away with new knowledge and an increased understanding of Christ.

Bearing Testimony

I particularly enjoy the monthly testimony meeting. It is, or should be, like the funeral in which those who love the deceased take turns telling about their fondest memories of the departed loved one and how he or she changed their lives. Those who rise to speak focus on the individual and what he or she meant to them. They express gratitude for the service and kindness the person showed them. They speak personally, intimately about their relationship with the deceased and what they will most remember about the person.

Such should be our testimonies in sacrament meeting. We are taught to avoid thank-imonies and travelogues and sermons. The stake president counseled us to say nothing in sacrament meeting that would not be appropriate at Jesus' funeral. I think this is what he meant.

The difference between a funeral for an earthly loved one and for Jesus is that the temporary, mortal sorrow of Christ's death has already been swallowed up in the joy of his resurrection. We already know how it turns out. Because of the Atonement, we may attend the funeral of a righteous loved one with peace tempered by mourning. And so we also come to sacrament meeting rejoicing that death is temporary, that the grave has been overcome, that he who was dead now lives. And because he lives, we shall live.

Thus sacrament meeting, like a good funeral, is solemn but not somber, sobering but not depressing, respectful but not morose. We can be sorry and celebratory at the same time. It is a paradox, the likes of which God seems to be very fond.

Conclusion

My feelings about sacrament meeting have changed perceptibly in the months since President McKay came to our ward. I hope to continually attend and partake of the ordinance of the sacrament with the same spirit that President McKay taught me that day.