The sequence of bread first and water second is not inconsequential. In partaking of the bread, we are reminded of our own inevitable personal resurrection, which consists of more than just the restoration of body and spirit. By the power of the Resurrection, all of us will be restored to the presence of God. That reality presents to us the fundamental question of our lives. The fundamental question facing all of us is not whether we will live but with whom we will live after we die. While every one of us will return to the presence of God, not every one of us will remain with Him.
Through mortality, every one of us becomes soiled with sin and transgression. We will have had thoughts, words, and works that will have been less than virtuous. In short, we will be unclean. And the consequence of uncleanliness in the presence of God, Jesus made perfectly clear: “No unclean thing can dwell … in his presence.” That reality was brought home to Alma the Younger, who, when confronted by a holy angel, was so racked, harrowed, and tormented by his uncleanliness that he desired to become “extinct both soul and body, that [he] might not be brought to stand in the presence of … God.”One of the most sobering facts about the gospel is that heaven won't feel like heaven for all of us. Some of us just won't feel comfortable there. I've heard it described as being like going to a fancy dinner party wearing grubby clothes. Even if everyone there is accepting of us being there, we won't feel like we belong.
The Resurrection of Christ's body ensures that all of us will be resurrected and will stand once again in the presence of God. The Atonement of Christ's blood can cleanse us from sin to the point that we'll feel comfortable staying there. Resurrection is guaranteed. Redemption is not. Our being cleansed from sin is dependent on our obedience to the laws, principles, and ordinances of the Gospel, including the Sacrament, which reminds us to obey the commandments and always remember Jesus Christ.
More than anything else, it seems, the Sacrament is a reminder. It reminds us of Christ. It reminds us of the commandments He has given us, our covenants to obey those commandments, as well as all other covenants we have made with Him. Now I know that the Sacrament also reminds us of our inevitable death and resurrection, and that we will all stand before God to be judged according to our works, but something I already knew is that, possibly more than anything else, the Sacrament reminds us of the Atonement of Christ, by which power we can be made clean. We will stand before God again someday. May the Sacrament remind us to keep ourselves clean so that we may be worthy to stay there.
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