Our Christmas Card to You

Most of the time, we picture the Savior in His exalted, glorified state.  We know he has been resurrected, that he appeared with our Heavenly Father to Joseph Smith in 1820, and that he runs His church today (and in fact rules the universe) from His heavenly home. 

At Christmastime, however, we appropriately remember him as seemingly an ordinary child with good parents of humble means.  Actually, his family was very poor.  The comparison between Christmas as it is today, versus the actual first Christmas at the Savior’s birth, could not be more stark.  The world today seems to be celebrating something very different from what the holiday actually represents.  There is definitely a magical feeling in the air for most of December.  Those of us who call ourselves “Christians” sincerely believe this feeling is brought about by the Spirit of the Lord prompting us to value and ponder the meaning of the birth of the Son of God – no matter how many Santa Clauses and Christmas trees we see on the streets.

In 1976, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland spoke of Mary, Joseph and Jesus’ economic condition at the time of his birth:

“I, like you, need to remember the very plain scene, even the poverty, of a night devoid of tinsel or wrapping or goods of this world.  Only when we see that single, sacred, unadorned object of our devotion—the Babe of Bethlehem—will we know why the giving of gifts is so appropriate.”

If we can somehow picture the Savior’s birth occurring in our day and time - even without anyone knowing who this baby really was, surely Mary would have had a hospital birthing room, with highly educated nurses and doctors attending to her.  Joseph would have been given sanitized slippers, scrubs, mask and cap and would have been permitted to comfort Mary amidst all the medical technology surrounding her.  But the reality of Jesus’ day made it otherwise.  From Elder Holland: 

“With only Joseph’s inexperienced assistance, Mary herself brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in the little clothes she had knowingly brought on her journey, and perhaps laid him on a pillow of hay.

Then on both sides of the veil a heavenly host broke into song, “Glory to God in the highest,” they sang, “and on earth, peace among men of good will.” (Luke 2:14, Phillips Translation.) But except for heavenly witnesses, these three were alone: Joseph, Mary, the baby to be named Jesus.  At this focal point of all human history, a point illuminated by a new star in the heavens revealed for just such a purpose, probably no other mortal watched—none but a poor young carpenter, a beautiful virgin mother, and silent stabled animals who had not the power to utter the sacredness of what they had seen.  Shepherds would soon arrive and later, wise men would follow from the East. But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby - that’s how Christmas began.

It is for this baby that we should shout in chorus: “Hark the herald angels Sing Glory to the newborn King!  Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die: Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth.” (Hymns no. 60)

May the Lord bless each of us as we strive to remember that He WAS born in a lowly manger, but for the greatest of all purposes in the history of mankind:  to rescue us from the Fall – that we might return and live with Him and our Father, if we make that our greatest goal, and the central purpose of our lives.
Love, 
Craig & Tussy