Monday Musings:Do I have to wear a white shirt?

Yesterday at church was an excellent day! The youth in our ward were attending church at the Developmental Center and helping with the handicapped individuals there. What this means for me is that right after I got myself settled in the pew with the kids and the wife, suddenly I am asked to pass the sacrament. I actually love doing this! It's fun to get all nostalgic about my days as a 12 year old deacon. I recall when I was was the President of the Deacon's quorum, we had an elaborate system for describing where a specific Deacon was to begin passing the sacrament. FAR SIDE, MIDDLE BACK was one of the secret plays. Our Deacon's quorum had a play book as elaborate as any college football team. When I sat down in the pew for the deacons, I could vizualize the upcoming play in my mind with the best of modern quarterbacks.

Yesterday, it was not quite the choreographed elegance that we see when the Young Men in the ward fulfill their duties. But we absolutely fulfilled the principle of passing the sacrament with dignity, respect and reverence. It made me think, that we often get caught up in the minutia, and ritual without the spirit behind it. I have watched Young Men pass the sacrament to exactly the spot they are supposed to but...without any more concern for the person they are passing the sacrament too than if the were slopping hogs. My personal pet peeve. The boys that offer the sacrament two inches in front of my chin. I have to employ yoga, pilates, and several froms of Far Eastern contortionism in order to reach up and get the sacrament. A few weeks ago, in a fit of common sense I politely reached up and pushed the tray down before partaking.

Maybe part of my problem is that I honestly believe that I should partake of the sacrament. My view is that it should be passed to me. I shouldn't take the tray and then take the sacrament. I was taught that it is appropriate to take the sacrament only with the right hand and to pass it only with the right hand.

Which brings me to my title. After this very enjoyable experience of passing the sacrament, during Elder's quorum, we were discussing Elder Dallin H. Oakes Conference address:

Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament

Elder Oakes quotes Elder Holland from a 1995 address:

“May I suggest that wherever possible a white shirt be worn by the deacons, teachers, and priests who handle the sacrament. For sacred ordinances in the Church we often use ceremonial clothing, and a white shirt could be seen as a gentle reminder of the white clothing you wore in the baptismal font and an anticipation of the white shirt you will soon wear into the temple and onto your missions” (“This Do in Remembrance of Me,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68).

Maybe, I am the only one, but notwithstanding the role both of these men have as prophets of God and Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ do I really have to wear a white shirt? I find myself wondering sometimes, are we getting to caught up in outward ritual and not enough on the inward heart. The Pharisees were all for enforcing detailed rules about these kinds of things. Two Apostles have said it! It is good counsel! But we spent almost 15 minutes in Elder's quorum discussing how we enforce this on others. Again, maybe I am the minority in this, but I find myself torn between two extremes: Why does it matter? and Why would anyone not obey in so small a thing. Some may argue, well, what if they can't afford a white shirt, my argument is if they can afford any shirt at all they should choose a white shirt so they can follow this counsel from the apostles.

Without a doubt the Gospel is true! I just like wrestling with these ideas because we (the LDS church) were once the rebellious upstarts trying to break the back of burdensome, and foolish traditions, and I worry that we ourselves are heaping on the burden of too much tradition.