Moroni 4:3, 5:2 The Sacrament Prayers

3 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.(Moroni 4:3)

2 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.
(Moroni 5:2)

Notice what these prayers teach us about our relationship with each of the three members of the Godhead:

1. We pray to the Father and ask Him to sanctify the bread and water, so that the ordinance can fulfill its purpose.
2. We pray in the name of the Son.
3. We perform the ordinance in remembrance of the Son’s sacrifice.
4. By participating in the ordinance, we attest to the Father that we will fulfill the associated covenant.
5. But every provision of that covenant relates to the Son:  We promise to take upon ourselves His name, to always remember Him, and to keep His commandments.
6. As we keep the covenant, we are promised that His Spirit will be with us.

So we pray to the Father, addressing both our plea and our promises directly to Him.  We pray in the name of the Son and in remembrance of His sacrifice for us. Our promises relate entirely to our relationship with the Son: we will represent Him well, keep Him in our thoughts, and obey Him.  As we keep those promises, we receive the companionship of the Holy Ghost to guide us and to strengthen us.

As I partake of the sacrament this Sunday, I will think about the three members of the Godhead and how they work together in unity to lead us toward eternal life.

More thoughts about the sacrament

• What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Sacrament?
• What Does It Mean to Eat and Drink the Bread and Water to Our Souls?
• What Can We Learn from the Sacrament Prayers?
• What Can We Learn from the Differences Between the Sacrament Prayers?
• How Do I Know If I’m Worthy to Take the Sacrament?
• How Can I Participate More Meaningfully in the Sacrament?
• Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?