What a grief therapy group taught me about the sacrament

A few years ago I was a  practicum student trying to get hours for my doctoral degree in counseling psychology. One of my mentors was a therapist at a smaller university and was willing to let me to sit in and co-facilitate a grief therapy group.  All of the members had lost someone close to them, whether it was a husband, son, father, daughter, grandmother, etc. On about the 4th or 5th group meeting, my on-site supervisor was not able to attend I was charged with facilitating the group that day.

After a short time, the group members started talking about food and recipes. They expressed regret for not writing down or learning certain recipes or ways of preparing dishes for which the deceased was famous. To be honest, I was wondering whether the group had veered off course. I thought that perhaps some of the group members were avoiding topics that, for obvious reasons, might be too emotional to face at the moment. Where else would they face these difficult emotions if not in therapy? I considered possibly refocusing the group onto topics they might have been avoiding.

Then, I thought, "Well, even if we aren't really dealing with the depths of emotion right now, food is something that connects us to another person." I thought about how a mother feeds her baby and a bond and connection is formed through the act of being fed. Many cultures around the world use food as a means of caring and showing respect for their guests. In my congregation, it is common for families to bring meals to a woman and her family when she gives birth as a means of supporting her and her family. Being fed is a symbol of being cared for, nourished, protected, and nurtured.

My thoughts then went to the food that I consume each Sunday as a token of the Savior's sacrifice. Those in attendance at the group were remembering deceased relatives through food - just as Christ asked each of us to remember him by eating and drinking special food. He said after breaking bread, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." And again after pouring the wine "this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22: 19+20).

What better way could He have us symbolically remember Him each week than by utilizing the in-born bond between the provider and the partaker of nourishment? As I think on these things, it emphasizes the importance of the sacrament and the way that Jesus was able to bring spiritual matters down to a temporal level so that we, as humans, can understand and connect with spiritual things.

The Last Supper by Simon Dewey

Looking back now, I am very glad that I did not redirect the conversation on food and recipes during the group. I am also thankful to those members of the group for creating an atmosphere in which I could be taught a valuable lesson.

How does the sacrament help you remember Jesus? What are some other everyday things that help you remember Him?