Why should babies take the sacrament?

[Guest]

I attended a family ward and saw parents giving their very young babies and kids under 8 years old the sacrament. Why do children under the age of 8 need to take the sacrament since they are innocent and aren't baptized members of the ward who have made baptismal covenants. I've never understood the need or desire to give babies the sacrament. That's up there with infant baptism.

[Sunday21]

The infants and toddlers do not need to take the sacrament. The little ones like to do so to be like Mommy and Daddy. People give their children the sacrament so that the children learn to honor the sacrament. If you have young children you do not need to give them the sacrament.

[zil]

Ditto what @Sunday21 said - while not necessary, it does teach them and gives parents a chance to teach them outside church, and help the children feel involved.  I would love to hear experiences of parents who did this for their children.  (I know that we did this as little children, and learned about obedience and reverence through it - as well as the mechanics of the Sacrament.)

[Anddenex]

3 hours ago, Zarahemla said:

 I've never understood the need or desire to give babies the sacrament. That's up there with infant baptism.

As @zil and @Sunday21 have shared, parents who are allowing children to partake of the sacrament are not doing so out of need. Infant baptism and children under the age of 8 partaking the sacrament are not similar. The purpose of baptism, if we baptize an infant, is to save their soul. A child partaking the sacrament isn't saving their soul. They are only eating and drinking water, nothing more. After they are baptized, then it becomes a saving ordinance in connection with their baptism. 

Now, if you feel strongly about this, then I would properly prepare any children you have, and honestly I wish you the best in trying to teach a 18 month old of why he/she can't eat a small piece of bread and drink a small cup of water (because that is all it is to them -- food). If a parent believes in this I have no qualms with it. This is their choice, and I would support the parent. 

Edited September 5, 2016 by Anddenex

[yjacket]

1 hour ago, Anddenex said:

Now, if you feel strongly about this, then I would properly prepare any children you have, and honestly I wish you the best in trying to teach a 18 month old of why he/she can't eat a small piece of bread and drink a small cup of water (because that is all it is to them -- food). 

Bingo . . .as a parent you pick your battles.  This is not one that I care to worry about or fight.

[Guest]

The less you worry about what other people do, the happier you will be.

[An Investigator]

My Three year old takes the Sacrament, before I joined the Church I did not get my Son Christened as I had decided I no longer believed in Infant baptism.  I want him to want to take the sacrament and to understand its meaning, no greater teacher then emulation in young children. 

[NightSG]

It was Fast Sunday.  They were getting whatever food they could.  

[MrShorty]

Searching for a stray comment you know you have heard before can be so frustrating sometimes. Finally, through an old topic here at lds.net, I found this talk by Elder Nelson (https://www.lds.org/ensign/2004/08/worshiping-at-sacrament-meeting?lang=eng&_r=1 ) where he states that children may partake of the sacrament as preparation for the covenants they will make (see the section titled Conducting Sacrament Meeting). I knew I remembered Elder Nelson addressing this, but could not find where. I don't know if there is a more thorough doctrinal exposition on this elsewhere, but I seem to recall a few passing statements like this that make this practice about preparing children for their future covenants.

[jerome1232]

And not crying their heads off when the bread and water passes toddlers. Letting them participate is good for that too.

[Larry Cotrell]

I remember, at my church, seeing two small children reach for the bread and grape juice. After that, they turned around to their friends and said, "Did you guys get a snack?"

I think kids should be old enough to understand what they are doing before partaking of the sacrament. That's just my opinion anyway.

[Traveler]

 

Jesus put it this way - "Suffer the little children to come unto me".   I think it is a foolish idea to come between Jesus and children - especially for intellectual reasons.

 

The Traveler

[Larry Cotrell]

11 minutes ago, Traveler said:

Jesus put it this way - "Suffer the little children to come unto me".   I think it is a foolish idea to come between Jesus and children - especially for intellectual reasons.

True, but I think the sacrament is not to be taken lightly. When I was young, my parents didn't let me partake of sacrament until I understood that it was more than just a snack. 

Jesus said, "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."

If someone does it because it is a tasty snack, and they don't do it in remembrance of His beautiful sacrifice, is it really partaking of the sacrament? If His sacrifice is not kept in mind, there is no difference between this and a normal snack.

Again, that's just my opinion. I don't think it's sinful or anything, I just think it has more meaning when you understand the significance of it.

 

[NightSG]

22 minutes ago, Larry Cotrell said:

If His sacrifice is not kept in mind, there is no difference between this and a normal snack.

It's what, six calories?  If that's a normal snack for you, you might need to see a doctor.  

[Larry Cotrell]

2 hours ago, NightSG said:

It's what, six calories?  If that's a normal snack for you, you might need to see a doctor.  

I was laughing out loud when I read this. But to clarify, my church uses those Hawaiian sweet rolls, which are delicious. 

Edited September 5, 2016 by Larry Cotrell

[mordorbund]

On 9/4/2016 at 5:10 PM, Zarahemla said:

I attended a family ward and saw parents giving their very young babies and kids under 8 years old the sacrament. Why do children under the age of 8 need to take the sacrament since they are innocent and aren't baptized members of the ward who have made baptismal covenants. I've never understood the need or desire to give babies the sacrament. That's up there with infant baptism.

I agree(d). When we had our first child, my wife and I went back and forth on this. When taking the sacrament is a renewal of baptismal covenants, it strikes me as a mockery of the Atonement or the ordinance to have a child participate. They have no covenants to renew, so they have no need to partake. Taking it to practice for strikes me as a poor reason. Would you do the same for baptism or confirmation? Would you attend the ward baptism and, while the font was still filled, perform the ordinance (complete with prayer and the other elements) so the child could practice? Would you regularly sit your child in a chair and confirm her a member of the Church and confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost so she could practice receiving the ordinance?

After making is a subject of study, we found that the scriptural purpose of taking the sacrament (as already noted by @Larry Cotrell) is in remembrance of Jesus. So we teach our toddlers that "we eat the bread/drink the water to remember Jesus" as the sacrament is passed. Once they show understanding of that (and that can happen at a young age) then they can partake. We made a book of Jesus pictures to help them focus during the ordinance.

The sacrament is serious business, and a child's stewards need to help them recognize that.

[Blackmarch]

On 9/4/2016 at 3:10 PM, Zarahemla said:

I attended a family ward and saw parents giving their very young babies and kids under 8 years old the sacrament. Why do children under the age of 8 need to take the sacrament since they are innocent and aren't baptized members of the ward who have made baptismal covenants. I've never understood the need or desire to give babies the sacrament. That's up there with infant baptism.

Practice makes perfect, I suppose... Altho i've never seen anyone indicate that children that haven't been baptised need to. Those under the age of accountability are made alive in Christ by his atonement... and i suppose that if they have not taken the covenants of baptism, the ordinance of the sacrament will have little affect on them.

 

On 9/5/2016 at 0:08 PM, Larry Cotrell said:

True, but I think the sacrament is not to be taken lightly. When I was young, my parents didn't let me partake of sacrament until I understood that it was more than just a snack. 

Jesus said, "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me."

If someone does it because it is a tasty snack, and they don't do it in remembrance of His beautiful sacrifice, is it really partaking of the sacrament? If His sacrifice is not kept in mind, there is no difference between this and a normal snack.

Again, that's just my opinion. I don't think it's sinful or anything, I just think it has more meaning when you understand the significance of it.

 

I agree with this a lot. There's probably a difference between just letting a child take it out of habit, and trying to teach a child something. (just opinionating here tho).

As for infants, It's probably not proper.

Edited September 6, 2016 by Blackmarch

[rpframe]

As others have stated... babies are pure and sinless, and don't need to take the sacrament.

Why should they? 

On 9/5/2016 at 9:02 AM, jerome1232 said:

And not crying their heads off when the bread and water passes toddlers. Letting them participate is good for that too.

^^^ This is why. Kids have plenty of reasons to scream their heads off in church... its far easier to let them take it than to try to argue religious semantics with a 2 year old.

Its certainly okay for them to take it... and its certainly okay for them not to.

[captain moroni]

On 9/5/2016 at 11:47 AM, Larry Cotrell said:

I was laughing out loud when I read this. But to clarify, my church uses those Hawaiian sweet rolls, which are delicious. 

We used muffins one Sunday. Ox was in the mire and nothing else was in the kitchen. But, the good news was that the muffins were world class. 

[mordorbund]

20 hours ago, rpframe said:

Kids have plenty of reasons to scream their heads off in church... its far easier to let them take it than to try to argue religious semantics with a 2 year old.

It's far easier to take a screaming child to "the hallway where there's no fun". Is this the same attitude we take when a screaming toddler wants to jump in and splash around the baptismal font? 

[anatess2]

Swimming in the baptismal font... I have not seen kids do this because... it's in a glass-enclosed thing and the entrance is hidden in the handicapped stall in the bathroom.  But yeah, we did practice baptism a few times with my kids before they got baptized.

Partaking of the sacrament... I was Catholic when I was a kid.  The Catholic Eucharist is the literal body of Christ so you can't take it until you've had your first communion.  But yes, some kids line up for it (i know, where are their parents, right?) and the priest just quietly shoves the kid to the side so he can give the bread to the one behind.  But yeah, when I was a kid, I lined up for communion during Flores de Mayo - I was lined up with the angels and all the angels except me have had their first communion so the priest did not realize he was giving the communion when he wasn't supposed to.  I was the envy of my young sister and cousins.  My grandma gave me a lecture, my mom just laughed it off.  Anyway, even as a Catholic kid, we would buy Haw Flakes with our lunch money and pretend to have communion with my brother as the priest.

With my kids - they ate the little piece of bread and little cup of water when they got old enough to reach for it themselves without grabbing a handful.  We, of course, taught them what it is about having them look forward to their baptisms even when they were only... about 3 years old or so.  They also wear undershirts and boxer shorts as their "garments" in preparation for their real ones.

My husband is in this low-carb diet... he spends at least 3 seconds choosing the tiniest piece of the bread.  My kid - the deacon - told him not to do it when he's passing the bread to him because he won't be able to stop from rolling his eyes, breaking his reverence.  Yeah, it's like saving 2 calories!

Edited September 7, 2016 by anatess2

[Traveler]

 

I do not believe it matters if a small child takes the sacrament or not.  I believe that in many ways children are a reflection of their parents.  But not always in the ways we may think.  There are two things going on with children and one has to do with their individual personality that comes with them from the pre-existence.  The other is what they learn from examples and encouragement from their parents.  Since I often do not know for sure what comes from parents and what comes personalities I will leave this as an exercise for the reader – but I do believe parents can teach their children how to behave at church and respect the sacrament. 

For example I am amazed with parents that will bring a young child to church and expect them to know how to behave.  In essence leaving it up to the child to figure this out without much help.  My wife was the expert at this when our children were young.  She spent many hours at home teaching our children how to sit reverently for long periods of time without getting down from their place and running around.  Many of my callings took me away from sitting with my family at church – but my wife learned and planned in advance how to handle all 5 or our children by herself at church or wherever.

We also eat meals together as a family – breakfast occurred to accommodate the earliest requirement.  Children were not allowed to eat between meals.  If someone was not on time for breakfast (or any meal) – they did not eat breakfast (some exceptions for dinner).  If someone did not want to eat what was served – they did not have to.  But there was no eating between meals and they would be served the same (saved) for their next meal.  If they still did not want it then at the meal following they would get whatever was served to the family.  As soon as a child could skip two meals then from then on – they would be required to fast tow meals on fast Sunday.  All my children were fasting two meals by time they were 8.

At age 5 my wife taught each child chores (not when my wife was 5 but the kids).  By time they were 8 they were expected to do their chores on their own without supervision.  Every Sunday we would eat a formal main meal.  My wife would set her fine china and linen.  All the family was given assignments for helping prepare the meal, set a formal table, present the courses to the rest of the family and clean up afterwards.   

I am not sure what children are being trained to do now days but if they should or should not take the sacrament is a high priority for this generation of parents – the human race will not survive much longer – maybe this is a sign the end is near.

 

The Traveler

Edited September 7, 2016 by Traveler

[Anddenex]

7 hours ago, mordorbund said:

It's far easier to take a screaming child to "the hallway where there's no fun". Is this the same attitude we take when a screaming toddler wants to jump in and splash around the baptismal font? 

True, reverence of both ordinances are important; however, we don't get baptized every Sunday. We don't line up, all of us, each Sunday to get immersed, and if we did, what is the harm in a two year old being put in the water (no ordinance done) and then out he/she goes. I am not suggesting for the one time ordinance being done that we do. I am emphasizing a big difference between a one time baptism, and a every Sunday sacrament, which even teenagers think the sacrament is a great snack on Fast Sunday's. Should we not allow teenagers to partake, although they have been baptized, because they aren't properly thinking upon Christ. Heaven's I know of adults who think the sacrament is a great snack, should we not pass to them because they are not properly thinking about Christ?

[mordorbund]

1 hour ago, Anddenex said:

True, reverence of both ordinances are important; however, we don't get baptized every Sunday. We don't line up, all of us, each Sunday to get immersed, and if we did, what is the harm in a two year old being put in the water (no ordinance done) and then out he/she goes.

I don't think there's any harm in a two-year old being put in water. I do object to a two-year old being immersed in the water after a priest recites the baptismal prayer and attends to all the ritual aspects. I don't object to practicing or rehearsing ordinances. After attending a cousin's baptism, we had a Family Home Evening lesson and covered all the elements of the ordinance. We did not, however, perform the ordinance. Similarly, I have no objection with practicing or rehearsing the ordinance of the Sacrament. Read and discuss the prayer, even eat and drink; do not, however, eat and drink emblems that are blessed and sanctified for ritual use.

The frequency of the presentation of the Sacrament does not make it any less sacred. Paul writes of some who had died for not partaking worthily.

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I am not suggesting for the one time ordinance being done that we do. I am emphasizing a big difference between a one time baptism, and a every Sunday sacrament, which even teenagers think the sacrament is a great snack on Fast Sunday's.

If teenagers only think of the sacrament as a great snack on Fast Sunday, then we as parents have failed them.

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Should we not allow teenagers to partake, although they have been baptized, because they aren't properly thinking upon Christ.

Assuming "we" is the parents (since deacons should offer it to all, and the bishop isn't standing next to every row), I'm not in that boat yet, so I won't commit definitively. So far though, my family has been able to live that standard, as little ones who aren't thinking about Jesus are usually too distracted with other things to notice the tray passing them by. And since you raise the point that teenagers are already baptized, the second purpose of the Sacrament (renewing covenants) comes into play and has to be weighed accordingly.

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Heaven's I know of adults who think the sacrament is a great snack, should we not pass to them because they are not properly thinking about Christ?

Deacons should offer the Sacrament to all. Adults should be their own judges in the matter. If they only think of it as a snack, I advise them as a fellow saint to consider Paul's reminder that we have our mealtimes and the Sacrament is intended as only a token, or symbolic, meal.

[Anddenex]

1 hour ago, mordorbund said:

I don't think there's any harm in a two-year old being put in water. I do object to a two-year old being immersed in the water after a priest recites the baptismal prayer and attends to all the ritual aspects. I don't object to practicing or rehearsing ordinances. After attending a cousin's baptism, we had a Family Home Evening lesson and covered all the elements of the ordinance. We did not, however, perform the ordinance. Similarly, I have no objection with practicing or rehearsing the ordinance of the Sacrament. Read and discuss the prayer, even eat and drink; do not, however, eat and drink emblems that are blessed and sanctified for ritual use.

The baptism is more tongue in cheek, rather than trying to convince anyone, we simply disagree; although I refer back to my previous statement, "If a parent believes in this I have no qualms with it. This is their choice, and I would support the parent." (emphasis added to my first response)

1 hour ago, mordorbund said:

The frequency of the presentation of the Sacrament does not make it any less sacred. Paul writes of some who had died for not partaking worthily.

Agreed, the frequency does not make the Sacrament any less sacred; although, we don't have any leader (GA) specifying anything against young children partaking the Sacrament either. If we read on Lds.org, there are more comments in favor of teaching by example with the Sacrament, and the only negativity I ever read/hear are from parents who have a strong opinion, which I go back to, "This is their choice, and I would support the parent." We also have scripture of children being baptized as wrong. You are more studied than me, have you read anywhere, from any General Authority, specifying this should not be the case in any Church publication? I haven't, but would be curious to know if others have. All I have found is what MrShorty shared the talk from Elder Russel M. Nelson, "Little children, as sinless beneficiaries of the Lord’s Atonement, may partake of the sacrament as they prepare for covenants that they will make later in life." 

1 hour ago, mordorbund said:

If teenagers only think of the sacrament as a great snack on Fast Sunday, then we as parents have failed them.

I would partially disagree. Parents who have not taught children the sacredness of the Sacrament have failed them. As a teenager who once looked at the Sacrament as a mere snack, especially on Fast Sunday's, it wasn't my parents who failed me. I was taught, more than once, on more than one occasion the sacredness of the Sacrament. I failed myself, and it was something I repented of as I came to understand more fully what had already been taught to me.

1 hour ago, mordorbund said:

Assuming "we" is the parents (since deacons should offer it to all, and the bishop isn't standing next to every row), I'm not in that boat yet, so I won't commit definitively. So far though, my family has been able to live that standard, as little ones who aren't thinking about Jesus are usually too distracted with other things to notice the tray passing them by. And since you raise the point that teenagers are already baptized, the second purpose of the Sacrament (renewing covenants) comes into play and has to be weighed accordingly.

Deacons should offer the Sacrament to all. Adults should be their own judges in the matter. If they only think of it as a snack, I advise them as a fellow saint to consider Paul's reminder that we have our mealtimes and the Sacrament is intended as only a token, or symbolic, meal.

The last part was more a humorous tone, or trying to be. As I recognize some adults who take the Sacrament like little children, without any thought but a good snack. If we hold kids to such parameters, should we hold adults even more? More rhetorical and silly.