Since covid began and church nearly stopped I’ve attended sacrament meeting only twice. Before I discovered the error of my ways, I shared the sacrament via FaceTime with a single friend of my wife and mine and whom I ministered to for many years. She and I both felt the blessed as we did so despite my apparent misstep. Since then I’ve taken the sacrament to her several times and each time we have felt the beauty and strength of this ritual. These have been the only times I have “had” the sacrament. My good wife is no longer a member of my church and I’ve never thought to give it to myself. It feels like a communal ordinance to me. One to be shared. Which is why I’m sharing my sacrament midrash with you.
I’m sharing this not just because it is meaningful to me and may be to you, but because I also hope it inspires you to apply the practice of midrash. Many of you likely know the meaning of this word, but I always find value in looking up the definitions and history of words I think I know. Wikipedia’s explanation resonates with me:
“Midrash and rabbinic readings ‘discern value in texts, words, and letters, as potential revelatory spaces,’ writes the Hebrew scholar Wilda C. Gafney. ‘They reimagine dominant narratival readings while crafting new ones to stand alongside—not replace—former readings. Midrash also asks questions of the text; sometimes it provides answers, sometimes it leaves the reader to answer the questions.’”
The etymology of midrash also offers some rich meaning. Again, from Wikipedia:
“The Hebrew word midrash is derived from the root of the verb darash (דָּרַשׁ), which means ‘resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require,’ forms of which appear frequently in the Bible.”
So here’s my midrash of the sacrament prayers. I’ve included the original verses from the Book of Mormon found in Moroni 4 and 5.
“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”
O Heavenly Parents,
I ask you
in the name of your beloved son,
Jesus the Christ,
to help me see this bread of life
as the body of your son.
To remember a life lived in love
and then given in love
to be bruised,
broken,
and offered as ransom for all.
This grace given
to redeem me
from anger,
oppression,
hopelessness,
selfishness,
sin,
and the darkness of death.
A Grace that calls me
to be still and listen
to all life.
To mourn with those that mourn.
To carry others burdens.
To love my enemy.
To be merciful.
To forgive.
To have my heart broken
and healed
so that through this Jesus
I might have the faith
and courage
and curiosity
to follow the Christ
wherever He leads.
I witness unto you God,
and all here with me,
that I am willing
to take the name of your Son
upon me,
and always remember him—
his life and his teachings.
That I might live
the two great commandments
that he has shown and given me,
that I might always have
the Spirit of His ways
to be with me.
That this bread,
made from that which was born
of mother earth and once lived,
will now become part of my body—
the life and love of your Son
living in and through me.
Amen.
“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”
O Heavenly Parents,
I ask you
in the name of your beloved son,
Jesus the Christ,
to help me see this water
as the blood of your son.
To remember to always drink
from the living waters of his life.
A life lived in love
and then given in love
to be bled and shed
to drown our shame
and give breath to justice
and mercy.
A grace given to redeem me
from anger,
oppression,
hopelessness,
selfishness,
sin,
and the darkness of death.
A Grace that calls me
to be still and listen
to all life.
To mourn with those that mourn.
To carry others burdens.
To love my enemy.
To be merciful
and forgive myself and others.
To have my heart broken
and healed
through this Jesus giving me
the faith and courage
and curiosity
to follow him
wherever He calls.
I witness unto you God,
and all here with me,
that I am willing
to take the name of your Son
upon me,
and always remember him—
his life and his teachings.
That I might live
the two great commandments
that he has offered me,
that I might always have
the Spirit of His ways
to be with me.
That this water,
drawn from the bowels of mother earth,
will become my lifeblood—
the life and love of your Son
flowing in and through me.
Amen.
I believe the power of fasting and prayer is less about us asking for the miraculous, and more about us aligning our hearts and minds with God’s and then helping God do the miraculous. Practicing the art of midrash can help get us there by learning from and living such a revelatory process.
