the Essence of the Gospel

Happy Easter week to you! I wrote a little about Easter previously here and here.

(For you readers unfamiliar with General Conference, it is 10 hours of church in one weekend that happens twice a year, broadcast from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints headquarters to around the world. If that sounds crazy, technological developments have made it possible for us to participate in Conference from virtually anywhere, which means many of us watch most of it at home on the couch in our pajamas. Not too bad. The messages are published and available online at www.lds.org or in print and we can study these messages throughout the year. Indeed, these messages from prophets and apostles constitute new scripture for us to enjoy. I love to make these a part of my personal scripture study.)

General Conference was a couple weeks ago. One of the first talks I like to go back to right away is from the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, from Sunday morning. This time President Monson centered his message around one of my favorite passages of scripture, Matthew 22: " 'Master, which is the great commandment in the law?' Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.' "

 When I hear (or read) the Savior declare in no uncertain terms what the most important commandment is, I listen up. Especially when He follows it up saying that the entire gospel centers on this principle.

Says President Monson: "There are many attributes which are manifestations of love, such as kindness, patience, selflessness, understanding, and forgiveness. In all our associations, these and other such attributes will help make evident the love in our hearts."

If the commandment is to love our neighbors, and the prophet specifically mentions these five attributes, I take note that these are things which are lacking in society and that we should really focus on. This doesn't need to be just a rehash, something we've heard a hundred times that is next in the queue. It may not be new, but this is relevant and what we need to work on now.

I'm not going to write a whole sermon now on each of these five points he mentioned (kindness, patience, selflessness, understanding, and forgiveness), but I do want to emphasize making these attributes a priority. He also mentions being considerate, sensitive, compassionate, and encouraging. Not only are these manifestations of love, but by practicing these principles the love of Christ will grow within us. "Charity is the pure love of Christ... and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him" (Moroni 7:47).

A favorite parable of mine is the parable of the sheep and the goats. Jesus taught: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying: Lord, when saw we thee... and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:34-40).

It is so easy to judge people and decide that they deserve what they get. It is natural to hold on to grudges. Or, like in the story of the Good Samaritan, we think we are simply too busy with other worthy things. But what do these people need and what we can do? It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but often there is something we can do. Brighten someone’s day. Make someone happy instead of just proving a point. President Monson reminds us, “Every day of our lives we are given opportunities to show love and kindness to those around us."

A mother of one of my closest childhood friends has been one of the best examples of love and charity in my life. It may be a little surprising at first glance. She is definitely not a soft woman; she is strict, loud and outspoken. She works hard but never had much money or nice things. But she is caring, considerate, selfless, and compassionate. Here’s one example. I was a pretty dopey kid and involved in too many activities. My parents were very busy and often would expect me to rescue myself, “figure out a way to get home.” I dreaded that, because I hated to mooch or inconvenience other people, but I seemed to always be in a situation requiring it. Even though my friend’s mom also worked and they lived five miles away from my home, she was always willing to help me out and go far out of her way to give me a ride from school or baseball practice or anything else, even without any notice. If they were there, I don’t recall her ever saying no (or complaining about the trouble). That may seem small, but it wasn’t small to me because that is what I needed most. That is just one of many examples. Her husband was no different but it is she that really sticks out in my memory. Because of her example, I have tried to always be available for others in a similar way.

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith…, and have not charity, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). Love (kindness, patience, et al.) may seem like such a basic thing but I believe it is needed now as much as ever and is lacking in society. Kindness is one of the most underrated attributes on the planet. It doesn’t just mean doing nice things, it also is being a friendly person. I know the people I like to be around are kind. Think of how different life would be if people were a little bit more kind, patient, and friendly! Each of us can have a part in improving that.

President Monson stated: "Love is the very essence of the gospel, and Jesus Christ is our Exemplar. His life was a legacy of love." I believe one of our personal missions on earth is to become more like Jesus. One way we can do that is by developing and demonstrating more love and charity throughout each day.

Palm Sunday

This weekend is one of my favorite unheralded holidays of the year. We call it Palm Sunday, the commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

“And the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:6-9).

This kickoff to Holy Week was one of the few events that was so significant it was recorded in each of the Four Gospels in the New Testament (Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12). There is a lot of symbolism, historical background, fulfillment of prophesies and additional meanings to the event but I keep the simple reality in my mind. This was a time when the public (in public) praised Jesus, recognized Him and hailed Him as a King. Most of the time when we think of the general population they rushed to Jesus to be healed or listen to Him teach, but this time they came out to celebrate Him. And Jesus humbly accepted it because He is the King, the Messiah.

Too often we hear people say that “the people rejected Jesus” or didn’t listen to him, that his following was small. This simply isn’t true. Even at the beginning of his ministry, for his Sermon on the Mount, Matthew writes that “there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea, and from beyond Jordan” (Matthew 4:25). Later he fed 5000 men plus women and children, another time he fed 4000. Once he was teaching in a house that was so crowded that people cut a hole in the roof to get to him. Many times he had to go into a boat to teach because there were so many people around him, or up a mountain to get some space. And at this point, the final week of his earthly ministry, “a very great multitude” came to see him and praise him; a multitude so big that the corrupt Jewish leaders were afraid to take/arrest him because of his throng of supporters.

What a beautiful moment that was. I know that Jesus is the King of kings and he is my king. I am grateful for this simple holiday where we can remember and celebrate Jesus as not just the babe in Bethlehem or the beaten Savior on the cross, but as King, Lord, Ruler, God, Messiah, and Master.

getting ready for Easter

Along with the start of baseball, spring is one of my favorite times of the year because of the Easter season. This is where the entire Christian population celebrates the most important event in human history: the atonement, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! It's kind of a big deal.

The resurrection of Jesus is truly the happiest moment in history. Christ's postmortal appearances are the most touching moments recorded in the scriptures. Death was defeated. Jesus lives. We will all be resurrected and have glorious bodies devoid of whatever ails us now. A way has been provided for our families to continue together after this earthly life. Easter is so significant that it changed the day of the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

But that's not all there is. The resurrection is the crowning moment of the Atonement, but it isn't right to overlook the crucifixion and death of Christ. 

Too often I hear many members of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints rationalize or diminish traditions of other faiths compared to our own. Just last Sunday I heard someone say something like "My friend observes Lent and when they asked why I don't I said that we like to remember Christ's resurrection, not his death." That makes me cringe. 

One thing as Latter-day Saints that we do pretty well, probably better than most faiths, is live consistently through the whole year so Easter Sunday is pretty similar to the next Sunday and a random Sunday in September. Church activity and attendance is steady week to week. There is no splurge for Christmas and Easter. But how do you remember and celebrate this time of the resurrection? It better be more than hiding candy-filled eggs. 

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared, "The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 121). What I deduce from that is that the death of Christ is also incredibly significant. Paul wrote that "we preach Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). He died for me! He didn't have to, He is God, immortal. But He did anyway to help us overcome death. "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people... that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" (Alma 7:12). He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). 

I don't know a lot about other religions, and most people are the same way. What I do know is that it seems clear that many other Christian faiths do a whole lot more to celebrate this special season than we Mormons do, as a whole. Honestly, there are few (if any) organized church-wide (even at the local congregational level) traditions or events that we observe for Easter. Other than General Conference the first weekend in April and maybe one special musical number during sacrament meeting, what do we do? 

So courtesy of wikipedia, I looked up a little on Lent. My Catholic/Lutheran/Methodist friends would probably agree with this statement: the traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for the glorious Easter holiday through prayer, penance, repentance, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial/fasting. It is a very personal thing, and one decides what they are willing to give up as a gift to the Savior, and reminder of Him. It lasts about six weeks. It begins on Ash Wednesday, where traditionally palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned and the ashes are "painted" on people's forehead. The Easter week is a beast of its own, with extra worship services on Good Friday and Saturday too. 

What a cool tradition. One of my sister's friends said she was giving up chocolate for Lent (and I assume that is a fairly common choice). I love chocolate, and I know that a six-week chocolate fast would make me uncomfortable. Yet every time she craved chocolate she would remember Jesus and her commitment to honor Him. We are commanded to "always remember Him," and the more reminders we get I say I'm all for. Someone who sees ash on their forehead when they look in the mirror, or if I see someone else with ash on their head, that is a pretty good trigger for thinking about Jesus. 

Jesus declared, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends" (John 15:13-14). He had power to avoid it, yet Jesus voluntarily laid down his life for us, for you, for me. We owe him everything! His suffering and dying on the cross is certainly uncomfortable to think about, but the love it showed and meaning it carries make it something we should never forget and always keep in our mind. We take the sacrament/communion every week "that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son... and do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them" (Moroni 4:3, 5:2). Especially during the season when his death took place we should give a little more attention to it.

 So anyway, my point is not that we should all observe Lent or wear crosses. My encouragement is that we can each individually do a little more to remember and celebrate Jesus during this holy season. And rather than dismiss what other people do in their own observance (of whatever holiday) we should admire their devotion, learn from it and about it. 

 I know Jesus suffered in the Garden, paying the penalty for my sins. He gave his life and willingly allowed himself to be put through an excruciatingly painful and humiliating execution, for which I am eternally indebted to him and grateful for. I know Jesus was resurrected, breaking the chains of death and bringing hope and rejoicing to people of all ends of time. I love this Easter season when we commemorate these important events and realities, and I plan on making them a little more meaningful this year.