This is the first time I have ever run a guest post. I wish I could say that it was because I was on some exotic vacation, away from the internet, but I’m not. The reason I am running this guest post is because I offered it to the writer of the following piece because I liked it. A lot.
The write is one of my best friends and one of the smartest guys I know – and one of the few readers who know who I am. Because of this, he will stay in my little world of anonymity. Even so, he was still willing to share. (He will be able to read and respond to any comments you leave.)
-MMM-
As my mind is wont to do, I found myself in Priesthood Meeting considering the lesson topic but paying no attention to the instructor. After all, I’ve heard of consecration and have even promised to live it. But the question I was mulling over in my head was “how do I teach this to my children in a real, concrete way?”
With that said, I was considering the word consecration and all that it entails. I posed the question to myself about where we use the word consecration in general church cirlces. Ding! The lightbulb went off: Consecrated oil.
Consider the blessed EVOO (that’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil for you non-foodies). I love olive oil. I love it in pesto. I love it on pasta. I especially love it when mixed with the ambrosia-like spices found at my local Carraba’s restaurant. EVOO is a pretty versatile material/item/thingy. A quick search of the web shows that it can be used in such diverse ways as freeing stuck zippers, curing diaper rash, treating lice and shaving. I must say, EVOO is the jack-of-all-trades when it comes to condiments.
While olive oil may get all the worldly glory, it is “pure” olive oil that is used when consecrating for the healing of the sick and afflicted. Notice something here, regular, or even EVOO oil, with all of it’s wonderful and diverse uses, just doesn’t cut it when only the purest form will do. That purity comes from being refined through heat. Similarly, if we are to become a consecrated people (or person), we must become as pure as possible, by being refined.
It is only under proper Priesthood Authority that pure olive oil can be transformed from the mundane to the holy. Isn’t that an amazing concept? By following priesthood principles and practices, by honoring priesthood authority, we too can be transformed from regular folk to Celestial beings.
Pure olive oil, once consecrated, takes on a singular purpose; the healing of the sick and afflicted. It no longer is to be used for regular tasks but has been elevated to a higher cause and calling. Its one purpose is to offer help and healing to those who suffer under burdens. As we become consecrated saints, our purpose also becomes singular in focus. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell states, we must let “our individual wills be swallowed up n God’s will.” (
click here)
Who knew that the little vial of oil, made powerful through the Holy Priesthood, could teach me so much about what I need to do to become the consecrated son that my Heavenly Father needs to fulfill his purposes on Earth?
—
Note from MMM:
FHE tie-in: I plan on having an FHE with my family in the next couple of weeks to discuss this concept. I think we will incorporate dipping bread and olive oil into the dinner before and, and then use a bottle of olive oil as an object lesson to teach the principle of consecration. To finish the lesson, my two Melchizekdek priesthood holders and I will consecrate a bottle of oil and refresh our vials. I imagine that teaching and image will stay with my family.
Thanks to my friend for his insight. (Start your own blog already!)
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When I was a little girl, I don’t remember there being a variety of olive oils. My dad just bought the only bottle of olive oil on the store shelf, consecrated it and blessed us and others with it. Today we have such an assortment of oils to choose from. I was thinking that perhaps “pure” olive oil means that it is simply not mixed with anything else. I saw a bottle of “olive oil” at the store a while ago. It looked just like olive oil and was even labeled as such, but as I looked at the label it was only 10% olive oil and 90% vegetable oil. Perhaps it’s not the EVOO we need to be concerned about as much as the purity of it. Like salt, once the olive oil is mixed with something else, it has lost it’s savor.
I cook with EVOO all the time and every single time I grab that bottle I think about the same oil being used by the priesthood for sacred purposes after being consecrated. I have also studied the concept of the olive press=Gethsemane. It truly is a beautiful message. Thanks a lot for sharing it.
I particularly liked the thought that once oil has been consecrated it’s not used for other mundane purposes, and how we should apply that to our own lives. Thanks for sharing, MMM and guest poster!
Love this!! I’m going to ponder it some more. I have an article on oil that you may enjoy, too, and it does talk about Gethsemane. But it’s a twist you’ve probably never heard of. =) Here’s the link: http://www.allaboutbecoming.com/2012/01/parable-of-the-10-virgins-and-oil-in-our-lamp/
Thanks for all the good you share! One of my favorite places to visit!
Funny story here: I got a job taking care of people and one LDS family had me cook dinner. I don’t cook very much now, and for sure didn’t back then. But I new this awesome recipe that used a 1/2 c of vegetable oil. I looked and looked and couldn’t find it. The potatoes which it went on were already cut up. But way up high I found a bottle of olive oil. My family growing up NEVER used olive oil- only for priesthood blessings. I wasn’t quite sure If I could cook with this stuff. So i poured a 1/2 c on the potatoes and put it in the oven. When I was putting everything away I picked up the olive oil bottle and there was this little tiny sticker on it that said “consecrated”. I flipped out! I walked the floor, flapping my hands. I decided to call mom and dad. Mom was not home. Dad was and I asked him if you can cook with olive oil. Yes the Italians use it all the time, etc. I tell him what happens and that I don’t want to tell them what I did. He said I should, but I never did. Any way we all sit down to eat and the man of the house asks me to say a prayer on the food. I think- Why bother- it’s already been blessed!
The message of this story is that you SHOULD NOT CONSECRATE whole bottles of oil. Consecrating just the small vial give more opportunities for men to use the priesthood- and that advice is from a priesthood brother.
And I agree with Chocolate Chick- where’s the ensign articles about the olive press, the bible dictionary, etc.
I can’t believe Gethsemane, which means olive press, wasn’t even mentioned! It is the ultimate consecration through the atonement of Christ.
Thanks MMM for the opportunity to be the first and only guest writer; I am honored. Cheryl’s comment about the simplicity of this one gospel concept rings true for most. Isn’t it great to watch as one simple topic spiders out into discussions of so many more great parallels to gospel truths. Press on (I couldn’t resist)
Another thought is the entire pressing/refining process the oil goes through… just a few other points to expand on 🙂
Thanks for putting that concern to rest for me. This post is a great message about the refining process. It’s interesting to note that olives must be pressed or crushed to produce the best results. I think I know what that feels like. As Elder Holland put it, “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.”
Okay, I really liked this. A lot. I think it’s easy to overlook something as “simple” as consecrated oil, and yet we use it so often. I loved the correlation between the oil and ourselves!
Vatermann: The author and I have been discussing this – the handbook merely calls for “pure” olive oil, but the tradition of using EVOO is pretty well imbedded. Apparently “pure” can be any grade of olive oil, it just means that it has been through a refining process.
I just learned that today – and I hope that God doesn’t care, because I have always used EVOO – but come to think of it, I have never looked to see if the label said “pure” EVOO or not. Interesting…
I apologize in advance for detracting from the great message of the post. I do have clarification question, though. Are you implying that EVOO is not pure enough to be used as consecrated oil? I have always used it, so I want to make sure it is inline with the “pure” olive oil referenced in the handbooks. Thanks.
Oh that each of our own vessels may, through keeping temple covenants, ultimately accomplish such a miracle!
Can you say “Zion”?
Absolutely beautiful! Great post!