Forth from the infinite glory and power of the throne of God to be born to mortality in the manger-cradle in Bethlehem, came [our Lord] thenceforth to be called son of Mary, Son of man, son of God, Jesus the Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father. God incarnate, he came not to royal courts, not to the palace of the rich, not to the home of earthly honor nor of vaunted learning of the wise and powerful, but to the humility of a lowly cottage of a village carpenter, to the home of one of us common folk.He descended below all things that he might rise to take even captivity captive,
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)
Manhood found him out with the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed, the sick, the afflicted of the earth in body and spirit, teaching his truth to their peace, their comfort, their eternal salvation and exaltation, their everlasting happiness.
The fisherman and the common folk heard, loved, and followed; the high and powerful turned their backs, scorning, deriding, reviling; they walked not after him.
He chose the foolish things to confound the wise; the weak to confound the mighty. He blessed the poor in spirit, promised comfort to them that mourn. He blessed them that hungered and thirsted for righteousness and them that are merciful. He declared the peacemakers should be called the children of God; the pure in heart should see God. He blessed the persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs would be the kingdom of God. He blessed the meek to inherit the earth.
He speaks to all of us who suffer for his sake, bidding us to come to him:"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
So, to now and hereafter while time flows on, the Author of our being and of our salvation speaks. His words are the assurance of the lowly and humble; the hope of the mighty and great.
God help us...to know the divine virtue of the spiritual ointment which, to ease our wounded souls, his Son gave us as his mortality was speeding to its end. It was in the Upper Chamber the night before he poured out his life blood on the cross, so overcoming the world, and Atoning Sacrifice for the Fall of Adam and for your sins and for mine, that he bestowed this priceless heritage upon his disciples grouped around him, upon all men then and since living, and upon those thereafter to be born:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
God grant it may so be.
By Reuben Clark Jr.
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