THE MORTAL BURDEN

 

“The trial of Jesus in Gethsemane would not have been possible and could not have occurred had it not been preceded by a lifetime of sinless virtue…Fromm His temptation in the wilderness to His rejection in Nazareth to the illegal trial before the Sanhedrin, Christ paid the price of a perfect life, walking in holy sinlessness despite adversity, physical suffering, deep sorrows, and the snares of ruthless and determined adversaries, both seen and unseen. ‘He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them’ (D&C 20:22). All this He did with the knowledge that one misstep would mean creation’s doom! For had he sinned even in the smallest point or slightest negligence of thought, the Atonement would have become impossible and the whole purpose of creation frustrated. The burden of the whole world weighed upon him through every moment of His life.” (Elder Bruce D. Porter, The King of Kings, p 92)

Those of us who are parents would understand what it means to be responsible for another human being. Now imagine being responsible for the existence of the entire human race. Imagine the ever- present awareness of the utmost necessity to be perfect in every way every minute of your day because if you weren’t, the whole structure of human existence would crumble. This was the mortal life of Jesus of Nazareth. The burden of the responsibility upon His holy shoulders is beyond my capacity to comprehend, to pave the way to someone else’s perfection even more so. How could He be an example of obedience had He sinned in the minutest degree? How could He be the way if that way was flawed?

Nobody depended on the Saviour more to fulfil the responsibility placed on His shoulders than the Father of us all. He knew according to His foreknowledge that His firstborn Son could save the rest of His children and that He would. It is with this foreknowledge that He also placed upon us our individual mortal responsibilities. We each have a part to play in this great Plan of Salvation. We are each a link in the chain of humanity. The Plan of Salvation the Father presented to us could never work without us, His children. The Saviour could never be the Saviour if there was no one to save. We accepted, we voted, we came. The burden is heavy but possible…..because of Him.

I was tempted my burdens

To lay to Your charge;

I considered them acutely unfair.

Then you opened my heart

And showed me Your godly task,

Beyond human capacity to bear.

Knowing where you had gone

I would never have to go,

I sorrowed and sought

My arrogance to bury;

In humility I assent,

Your mortal burden,

So valiant, so holy,

I would never in this life 

have to carry.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Through Heaven's Veil by Greg Collins)