After the end of World War II, my family lived for a time in Zwickau, East Germany—that is where we found and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Our congregation met in a small villa that had been converted into a meetinghouse, and there we joined with other members of the Church in worshipping the Savior and renewing our baptismal covenants. One of the most striking things about our chapel was its beautiful stained-glass window depicting the Savior and the visit of our Heavenly Father and His Son to the Prophet Joseph Smith. As a young boy, I often looked up at this window and felt a special spirit. How I loved our quaint meetinghouse!
The special feeling in this building seemed to be enhanced during Christmastime. Somehow the smells were sweeter, the sounds were softer, the lights were more enchanting as they reflected off the stained-glass windows during those dark winter evenings. I will never forget this little villa because of the spirit I felt within its walls.
Years later, I grieved when I learned that this much-loved chapel—the place that had cradled us in its arms during the first years of our Church membership—had been demolished to make room for a high-rise apartment building.
I would think that those who made the decision to take down the building had good intentions and did not know what this villa meant to our small flock. To them it probably looked like just another building. Had they been able to see it as a house of worship, a place of rejoicing and friendship, a sacred chapel—had they only seen the place the way I did as a young child, they might have made a different decision.
I like the novel Le petit prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It contains this keen observation: “Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is exhausting for children to have to provide explanations over and over again.” Later in the story a wise fox explains another important truth to the little prince: “Here’s my secret. It is very simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.”1
Not being able to see the sacred either with the eyes or with the heart has been a fault of the human condition since the beginning. In the scriptures we read, “For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth . . . others set at naught and trample under their feet.”2 Sometimes the most precious and sacred things are right in front of us, in plain sight, but we cannot or will not see them.
This may be especially true during the blessed and precious season of Christmas. This is a beautiful time of the year. Trees are draped with sparkling lights, the stores glitter with dazzling decorations, and the streets bustle with crowds of shoppers seeking gifts for those they love.
All of these spectacular displays and decorations that compete for our attention can be beautiful and uplifting, but if that’s all we see, then we’re missing something that’s in plain sight. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we become so preoccupied with responsibilities, commitments, and the stress of our many tasks that we fail to see with our hearts that which is essential and most sacred.
Even many who lived during the time of the Savior’s mortal ministry could not see Him, though He walked among them in plain sight.
Why Couldn’t They See Him?
Jesus Christ was born in a stable surrounded by lowly animals. He was raised in a disparaged town on the fringes of civilization. He did not go through the pattern of worldly education. He was not trained in worldly schools of philosophy, art, or literature. Some who heard His teachings questioned the origins of His education, saying, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?”3 and they said also, “Whence hath this man (his) wisdom? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren . . . and his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?”4
The sophisticated and the proud, those who placed their trust in worldly learning, could not see Him.
Jesus the Christ was not wealthy, nor did he hold a political office. He lived and taught among humble people in a nation that was in bondage to the Romans. Therefore He did not seem worthy of notice by the political leaders of the day. They were, after all, preoccupied with running the world. They were far too busy to pay attention to a humble preacher of righteousness. When Jesus stood before Pilate, the powerful Roman governor could see only a teacher who was the cause of a disturbance in his political jurisdiction.
The wealthy and the influential, those who were caught up in their busy affairs of commerce and government, could not see Him.
The scribes and Pharisees and other religious leaders of the day were looking for the Messiah. They had studied the scriptures and longed for the time of the coming of the One who would deliver Israel. They yearned to see His day. They prayed for His arrival.
But they were so steeped in their own traditions and so blinded by their own narrow interpretation of scripture that they could not see the humble man who walked among them.
Jesus did not come in the way they expected. He had not attended their religious schools. Worse, He did not agree with all of their teachings and, therefore, He could not be the One.
The self-righteous and unteachable, those whose hearts were closed to the Spirit, could not see Him.
But Who Saw Him?
Simeon, an elderly, devout, and just man, saw the Christ. When Mary and Joseph brought the baby Jesus to the temple, Simeon knew through the power of the Holy Ghost that this was indeed the Christ, the Son of the Most High. And he took the baby in his arms and blessed Him.5
Humble fishermen and laborers saw Him. The ailing, the humble, and the distraught saw Him and recognized Him as the Salvation of Israel. But there were those among the rich and powerful who were teachable and therefore could see the Christ. Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, saw Him,6 as did the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea7 and Zacchaeus the publican.8
Now, Can We See the Christ?
Sometimes when we read about people who could not see the Savior for who He was, we marvel at their blindness. But do we also let distractions obstruct our view of the Savior—during this Christmas season and throughout the year? Some are external distractions—the gifts we worry about, the decorations, or the clamorous advertising—but often it is what is inside us that blinds us from seeing the Christ.
Some may feel a certain level of intellectual aloofness that distances them from Christ. In an age when vast amounts of knowledge are at our fingertips, the familiar story of Jesus the Christ can get lost amid the flood of scientific advances, pressing news, or the latest popular movies or books.
Some are so caught up in the details of running their lives that they don’t make time for much else. They might pay lip service to the things of the Spirit, but their hearts are so focused on the world that they cannot see the Christ.
Some, like the Pharisees, seek for the Christ, but their hearts are so set upon their own theories, spiritual hobbies, and opinions that they fail to recognize Him. In spite of their good intentions, they miss the transforming revelations of the Holy Spirit and thereby miss the only way to receive a certain testimony of Jesus Christ.
Let Us See the Christ in Christmas
This is a season of rejoicing! A season of celebration! A wonderful time when we acknowledge that our Almighty God sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem the world! To redeem us!
It is a season of charitable acts of kindness and brotherly love. It is a season of being more reflective about our own lives and about the many blessings that are ours. It is a season of forgiving and being forgiven.
But perhaps most of all, let it be a season of seeking the Lamb of God, the King of Glory, the Everlasting Light of the World, the Great Hope of Mankind, the Savior and Redeemer of our souls.
I promise that if we unclutter our lives a little bit and in sincerity and humility seek the pure and gentle Christ with our hearts, we will see Him, we will find Him—on Christmas and throughout the year.
Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.
We can choose this Christmas and every day to create a small part of the Christmas story in our own lives.
The story of Christmas is a story of love. We heard the story first before the world was created. Heavenly Father told us of His plan of happiness for all of us, His beloved children.Out of love He would let us come down from His royal courts to live in a world where we would be free to choose to come home again to Him. He said that because of temptations and because it would be so hard for us always to choose the right, that we would need a Savior. We would all need power beyond our own to be rescued from death and from sin.
Jehovah, out of His great love for the Father and for us, volunteered to come down from His exalted place as the perfect Firstborn in the spirit world to face the trials we would face and to save us if we loved Him enough to keep the commandments He would give us. At the heart of those commandments, we were to love the Father and His son and all of God’s other children. Hearing that story so filled our hearts with love for the Father and His Son that we shouted for joy and worshipped them.
Many have told since of the glorious time in that story when the Christ child is born to rescue and lead us home. Of the inspired accounts, the ones we treasure most help us feel again the tender love and care of the Father, and of His Beloved Son, for all of us, and especially for the least of us.
That is one of the reasons we love Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus. Each time we hear it we can feel again the love of our Father for us and for all His children. Each detail of the story makes real for us the message of love.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, wraps her firstborn child tenderly and lays Him in a manger. God sends angels in glorious light to announce to humble shepherds that the long-promised Messiah is born. And Luke tells us that choirs of angels were sent to celebrate this greatest of gifts from a loving Heavenly Father to His children. The words of Luke seem almost to bring to our minds and hearts the memory of the sound of angelic music:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”1
The story of Christmas given to us by Luke creates feelings of peace and goodwill, just as the angel choir promised. Every inspired account of the birth of Jesus has that power.
The great prophet Isaiah wrote of the Christ child hundreds of years before He was born in a stable. He knew that Christ would be born to save us and to become the King of kings:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”2
Handel set Isaiah’s Christmas story to music, and those words sung by choirs have lifted hearts for generations. Some of us have sung them ourselves. Just this week members of my ward were invited to bring their music to sing along with a choir. Each time I have heard or sung Isaiah’s story of Christ, I have felt joy and peace. The promise of peace, which the Lord brought at His birth, come whenever we qualify to experience His love and cleansing power, which comes because of His Atonement. And every inspired story of Christmas brings a feeling of His love for us.
Heavenly Father out of His love sent angels and prophets to tell that story of Christmas even before Jesus was born. Moroni, in the Book of Mormon, tells us why God did that:
“For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.
“And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come…
“Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of Christ.”3
It is still the same after the coming of Christ: we lay hold upon every good thing through our faith in Him. True stories of Christmas always increase that faith in Him and in His mission. And with that faith our determination grows to join with Him to help in His loving mission of mercy and rescue.
It is wonderful to remember Him always but especially as we celebrate His birth. He came to bless children. He healed the sick. He invited all, even those who despised Him, to follow Him and so choose the way home to our Heavenly Father.
We can choose this Christmas and every day to create a small part of the Christmas story in our own lives. We can accept the invitation of living prophets to help those who are lost along the pathway, and have wandered, to come back to it. We can offer the gospel, which is the only way home, to all we meet along the way. We can lift up those who are tired and hungry and lonely, as the Savior did and now invites us to do with Him. As we do, they can feel how much the Savior loves them and wants to lead them on the way to the God He loves.
In the stories of Christ’s birth, we can see and feel who He was and who He is. That lightens our load along the way. And it will lead us to forget ourselves and to lighten the load for others. That can make every day feel like the best of our Christmases past.
We can feel again the Savior’s loving approval and His thanks. And those we help for Him may sense the helping hand the Master holds out to them, if only they will choose to take it.
I testify that the child born of Mary in Bethlehem was the divine and perfect Son of God. He loves us perfectly, as does our Father. Jehovah came as the Christ to open for us all the way to escape from sin and sorrow. I pray that we will choose that way and help all those we can to go home to God with us in love, in the name of Jesus the Christ, amen.
With the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we will have goodwill and love toward all mankind, not only during this season, but throughout the year as well.
My beloved brothers and sisters, how grateful I am to be here with you this evening. I, with you, have been inspired and edified by the messages of President Eyring and President Uchtdorf, as well as by the glorious music provided by the choir and the orchestra.Truth is found in a phrase we sing in one of our hymns: “Time flies on wings of lightning.”1 Another year has flown by, bringing us once again to the Christmas season.
Recently, as I’ve reminisced concerning past Christmases, I’ve realized that probably no other time of the year yields as many poignant memories as does Christmas. The Christmases we remember best generally have little to do with worldly goods, but a lot to do with families, with love, and with compassion and caring. This thought provides hope for those of us who fear that the simple meaning of the holiday is diluted by commercialism, or by opposition from those with differing religious views, or just by getting so caught up in the pressures of the season that we lose that special spirit we could otherwise experience.
For many people, “overdoing it” is especially common at this time of the year. We may take on too much for the time and energy we have. Perhaps we don’t have enough money to spend for those things we feel we must purchase. Often our efforts at Christmastime result in feeling stressed out, wrung out, and worn out during a time when instead we should feel the simple joys of commemorating the birth of the Babe in Bethlehem.
Usually, however, the special spirit of the season somehow finds its way into our hearts and into our lives despite the difficulties and distractions which may occupy our time and energy.
Many years ago I read of an experience at Christmastime which took place when thousands of weary travelers were stranded in the congested Atlanta, Georgia, airport. An ice storm had seriously delayed air travel as these people were trying to get wherever they most wanted to be for Christmas—most likely home.
It happened in December of 1970. As the midnight hour tolled, unhappy passengers clustered around ticket counters, conferring anxiously with agents whose cheerfulness had long since evaporated. They, too, wanted to be home. A few people managed to doze in uncomfortable seats. Others gathered at the newsstands to thumb silently through paperback books.
If there was a common bond among this diverse throng, it was loneliness—pervasive, inescapable, suffocating loneliness. But airport decorum required that each traveler maintain his invisible barrier against all the others. Better to be lonely than to be involved, which inevitably meant listening to the complaints of gloomy and disheartened fellow travelers.
The fact of the matter was that there were more passengers than there were available seats on any of the planes. When an occasional plane managed to break out, more travelers stayed behind than made it aboard. The words “Standby,” “Reservation confirmed,” and “First-class passenger” settled priorities and bespoke money, power, influence, foresight—or the lack thereof.
Gate 67 in Atlanta was a microcosm of the whole cavernous airport. Scarcely more than a glassed-in cubicle, it was jammed with travelers hoping to fly to New Orleans, Dallas, and points west. Except for the fortunate few traveling in pairs, there was little conversation at Gate 67. A salesman stared absently into space, as if resigned. A young mother cradled an infant in her arms, gently rocking in a vain effort to soothe the soft whimpering.
Then there was a man in a finely tailored grey flannel suit who somehow seemed impervious to the collective suffering. There was a certain indifference about his manner. He was absorbed in paperwork—figuring the year-end corporate profits, perhaps. A nerve-frayed traveler sitting nearby, observing this busy man, might have identified him as an Ebenezer Scrooge.
Suddenly, the relative silence was broken by a commotion. A young man in military uniform, no more than 19 years old, was in animated conversation with the desk agent. The boy held a low-priority ticket. He pleaded with the agent to help him get to New Orleans so that he could take the bus to the obscure Louisiana village he called home.
The agent wearily told him the prospects were poor for the next 24 hours, maybe longer. The boy grew frantic. Immediately after Christmas his unit was to be sent to Vietnam—where at that time war was raging—and if he didn’t make this flight, he might never again spend Christmas at home. Even the businessman looked up from his cryptic computations to show a guarded interest. The agent clearly was moved, even a bit embarrassed. But he could only offer sympathy—not hope. The boy stood at the departure desk, casting anxious looks around the crowded room as if seeking just one friendly face.
Finally the agent announced that the flight was ready for boarding. The travelers, who had been waiting long hours, heaved themselves up, gathered their belongings, and shuffled down the small corridor to the waiting aircraft: twenty, thirty, a hundred—until there were no more seats. The agent turned to the frantic young soldier and shrugged.
Inexplicably, the businessman had lingered behind. Now he stepped forward. “I have a confirmed ticket,” he quietly told the agent. “I’d like to give my seat to this young man.” The agent stared incredulously; then he motioned to the soldier. Unable to speak, tears streaming down his face, the boy in olive drab shook hands with the man in the gray flannel suit, who simply murmured, “Good luck. Have a fine Christmas. Good luck.”
As the plane door closed and the engines began their rising whine, the businessman turned away, clutching his briefcase, and trudged toward the all-night restaurant.
No more than a few among the thousands stranded there at the Atlanta airport witnessed the drama at Gate 67. But for those who did, the sullenness, the frustration, the hostility—all dissolved into a glow. That act of love and kindness between strangers had brought the spirit of Christmas into their hearts.
The lights of the departing plane blinked, starlike, as the craft moved off into the darkness. The infant slept silently now in the lap of the young mother. Perhaps another flight would be leaving before many more hours. But those who witnessed the interchange were less impatient. The glow lingered, gently and pervasively, in that small glass and plastic stable at Gate 67.2
My brothers and sisters, finding the real joy of the season comes not in the hurrying and the scurrying to get more done or in the purchasing of obligatory gifts. Real joy comes as we show the love and compassion inspired by the Savior of the World, who said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ... ye have done it unto me.”3
At this joyous season, may personal discords be forgotten and animosities healed. May enjoyment of the season include remembrance of the needy and afflicted. May our forgiveness reach out to those who have wronged us, even as we hope to be forgiven. May goodness abound in our hearts and love prevail in our homes.
As we contemplate how we’re going to spend our money to buy gifts this holiday season, let us plan also for how we will spend our time in order to help bring the true spirit of Christmas into the lives of others.
The Savior gave freely to all, and His gifts were of value beyond measure. Throughout His ministry, He blessed the sick, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf to hear, and the halt and lame to walk. He gave cleanliness to the unclean. He restored breath to the lifeless. He gave hope to the despairing and bestowed light in the darkness.
He gave us His love, His service, and His life.
What is the spirit we feel at Christmastime? It is His spirit—the Spirit of Christ.
How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv’n!With the pure love of Christ, let us walk in His footsteps as we approach the season celebrating His birth. As we do so, let us remember that He still lives and continues to be the Light of the World, who promised, “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”5
So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.4
To each of you, my brothers and sisters, I extend my love and blessing. May you have a wonderful Christmas. May there be love and kindness and peace within your hearts and homes. May even those whose hearts are heavy rise with the healing which comes alone from Him who comforts and assures.
With the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we will have goodwill and love toward all mankind, not only during this season, but throughout the year as well.
May this be our experience and our blessing, I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment