THE STAR

 

On His second visit to Jerusalem, Jesus taught at the temple and declared himself to be the light of the world. He testified that ‘he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life’ (John 8:12).

The incredulous Jews challenged His testimony because He bore record of Himself defying their law that required the testimony of two witnesses for any question of fact to be true. Jesus acknowledged the law and insisted that there were two witnesses, Himself and His Father (John 8:18).

In reality, there were many more witnesses to this truth. The witnesses that light had come into the world began at His birth. If they had only paid attention….

In his prophecy of Messiah, Balaam, by assumption one of the greatest Magi of them all, prophesied “there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).

Matthew records that ‘there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem’ asking ‘where is the child that is born, the Messiah of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him’ (JST Matthew 2:2a).

Thus, the wise men of the east, as they followed the star to Bethlehem, became the first witnesses of the ‘light of life’ that had come into the world to save the world. One ancient writing claimed that “a Star in the East was to appear two years before the birth of the Messiah” (Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus The Messiah, 1:211-12).

Much mystique has surrounded the identity of ‘the wise men from the east’ and many an inspirational story written. This assumption, however, seems the closest to the truth:

“They had prophetic insight. They knew the King of the Jews had been born, and they knew that a new star was destined to rise and had arisen in connection with that birth. The probability is they were themselves Jews who lived, as millions of Jews then did, in one of the nations to the East.

“It was the Jews, not the Gentiles, who were acquainted with the scriptures and who were waiting with anxious expectation for the coming of a King……His first witnesses were to come from his own kinsmen, from the House of Israel, not from the Gentile nations composed of those who knew not God and who cared nothing for the spirit of prophecy and revelation found among the Lord’s people.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 1, 358)

But it doesn’t end there. On the other side of the world Samuel the Lamanite prophesied that ‘great lights in haven’ would appear and that light would remain when the night came: “And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you….that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning…..” (Helaman 14:2-6-12).

Samuel’s prophecy was truly fulfilled when the Saviour was born in Judea and a star did appear according to his words but the greatest witness they had of Jesus Christ as the light of the world came when they sat in darkness for three days following His death, and they heard this voice: “I am the light and the life of the world. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end.” (3 Nephi 1:15; 21; 3 Nephi 9:18)

What is spiritual darkness? It is not being able to discern right from wrong. It is not being able to see the truth. It is not being able to recognize the Saviour Jesus Christ as the sole source of our salvation. It means being stiff necked like the Jews of His time. It means looking beyond the mark, like they did.

They looked right past the man who sorrowed for their sins, looking for someone else. It means spiritual blindness within which extinguishes the path that leads home. It means being lost. It means being lost forever.

Follow the star, it will lead you home.

 

Born to be King

Born to bear the scepter of truth,

Born to cleanse my soul within

And deliver me from every sin. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Following the Star by Greg Collins)

A LIGHT ON A HILL

 

In Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, we read that Christ said to His disciples and members of His Church: “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) but when speaking to the Nephites, the Book of Mormon records that He said: “ I give unto you to be the light of this people” (3 Nephi 12:14).

The variation is clear, the Saviour was not saying that we are the light just by virtue of having the truth, but that we are commanded to be the light, to light the path for others to see the way to salvation by our example of good works, charitable deeds and Christ-like characters. In other words, by what we have become because we follow the Master of perfection.

This is a tall order considering many of us are struggling to live the Gospel in the first place which depletes our reservoir of self-confidence and fosters self-doubt. Some of us consider we are never good enough for someone else to follow.

One year as I studied the New Testament, I was amazed at the confidence and bravery with which Jesus, over and over, testified of himself as the Son of God and Saviour of the world. One example of this remains with me still.

During His active ministry, Jesus and his disciples celebrated the Jewish feasts, one of which was the Feast of the Tabernacles.

At the close of the first day of this feast, amid ritualist pageantry, while hymns and songs of praise were sung, the blowing trumpets and dancers holding flaming torches in their hands, four of the sons of Levi lighted the four great golden candelabras. Amid the shining light of the temple that was lighting up every court in Jerusalem dispelling the darkness, stood up Jesus and proclaimed: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). (see also The Mortal Messiah 1 by Bruce R. McConkie, p 180)

Imagine the fortitude to stand up and proclaim yourself the Saviour of the world to a people who thought you were possessed of a devil and sought to kill you (John 7:19,20). This he had to testify to the people who expected the Messiah to come as the King of Glory (Isaiah 9:6,7), knowing that they would reject the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:11) who would come first. Was there, however, a better opportunity for Him to proclaim himself as the light of the world?

We might say that it was easy for Jesus, knowing explicitly who He was, to have the confidence to be the ultimate light on a hill, and that we mere mortals, in our weakness cannot be expected to do the same, nevertheless, the mandate stands and to make it easier, here is the key:

“The closer you draw to our Heavenly Father, the more His light and joy will shine from within you. Others will notice that there is something unique and special about you. And they will ask about it” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Missionary Work: Sharing What Is In Your Heart, General Conference April 2019).

Do you know of anyone who was closer to Heavenly Father than Jesus was? He repeatedly stated He and the Father are one, therefore, if there is light in one, there is light in the other. Those who believed in Christ saw this light in Him…..but this light is not exclusive to the Godhead but to all who would glorify Him that they ‘may be one’ with the Father and the Son (John 17:20,21; 3 Nephi 19:28,29).

Should the stars fall from heaven,

And the sun refuse to give its light;

Should the earth become the darkest night,

You would ever be my only guiding light.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Lord of Light by Chris Brazelton)

GOD OF LIGHT

 

Samuel the Lamanite could not have possibly given a more apt sign to the Nephites of the Saviour’s birth than the withholding of darkness (Helaman 14:3). His words were fulfilled 6 years later when the day before Christ’s birth ‘there was no darkness when the night came’ and instead, only light reigned (3 Nephi 1:15).

It is only fitting that this sign was given to herald the God of Light coming into the world to save mankind by proclaiming: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life…the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world….the Light that proceedeth froth from the presence of God and giveth life to all things” (John 8:12; 1:7,9; D&C 88:12-13).

Equally fitting was Samuel’s prophecy of darkness that would envelop the American continent for three days as the sign of the Saviour’s death (Helaman 14:20). Thirty-three years later the God of nature suffered and tempests, earthquakes, fires, whirlwinds, and physical upheavals attested to the crucifixion and death of the Saviour of the world and darkness reigned for three days (1 Nephi 19:12; 3 Nephi 8:5-19). The God of Light had withdrawn from the earth.

Such a poignant witness of His death reminiscent of His descent into darkness of hell to gain “the power to carry the lowest of the lowly back up into the light of salvation. Christ placed himself in darkness, not only below the most disobedient of mortals, but below the accumulated darkness of all sins committed throughout the history of time” (B. Grant Bishop, The LDS Gospel of Light, p 96).

When the Saviour comes for the second time, there will be no last-minute warnings, signs or miracles. He will come as ‘a thief in the night’ (1 Thessalonians 5:2). The world will be in commotion and destruction will come upon them but we will not be in darkness because we are ‘children of light’ (v 3-5). Instead of signs and wonders in the sky, we have been admonished to prepare thus that we might ‘be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (v 16-22) :

·        Rejoice evermore;

·        Pray without ceasing.

·        In everything give thanks;

·        Quench not the Spirit;

·        Despite not prophesyings;

·        Hold fast that which is good;

·        Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And when He comes, Zion will rise to a Millenial glory, and the ‘sun shall be no more our light by day; neither for brighteness shall the moon give light unto us, but the Lord shall be our everlasting light….(Isaiah 60:19)’, the true light which lighteth every man (John 1:9), the King of Heaven will be a light unto us forever (2 Nephi 10:13,14), the light and the Redeemer of the world (D&C 93:9).

Should the stars fall

from heaven,

And the sun refuse

to give its light;

Should the earth become

the darkest night,

You will ever be

My only guiding light.

 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: The Bridegroom by LDS ART)

UNITY OF FAITH

 

 

She was a Greek woman from Tyre. A Canaanite of pagan birth held in derision by the Jews. She came seeking Jesus, a man of many miracles who had the power to heal. And so she came and begged the Master whose reputation of compassion spread through all of Galilee and the coasts of Tyre. Her relentless pleading pressed upon Jesus to heal her daughter who was ‘vexed with a devil’ (Matthew 15:22). And then this: she called Him ‘the son of David’. She, with not a drop of Jewish blood in her veins, a pure Gentile, knew what that meant….He was the Messiah of Israel. She, however, was ‘the dog that ate the crumbs off the children’s tables’ (Matthew 15:22-28). And this she humbly accepted because she was not of the ‘chosen race’. And so because of Her humility and her undaunted faith, the great Lord of Israel granted her heart’s desire and her daughter was healed ‘from that very hour’ (Matthew 15:28).

 

I was born and raised in Croatia. When I was a youth I moved with my family to Australia where I joined the Church some 40 years ago. For most of these years I felt disadvantaged because I had not been born as a child of the covenant, in Utah, to goodly parents. I felt I was not, so to speak, of a ‘chosen race’. I wondered why I did not qualify for that privilege. In time, however, that became less important and belonging to the household of faith came to mean so much more. As I have yielded my heart to God these 40 years, I have been given a  remembrance of my eternal identity. I carry with me every day a strong sense of who I really am and have always been. I have no words to explain it. With this awareness has come a strong understanding of myself as a woman of faith. Now it matters less where I was place in this life and more that I am like the woman from Tyre who became, through her faith, a part of the ‘chosen race’. 

 

The Saviour unites us from the four corners of the earth through our faith in Him and His saving power. Because of Him all races, nationalities and cultures are one through salvation in His name. He is the validator of all souls, the lifter of all hearts, the succor of the weak, the rewarder of the strong, the unifier of us all. 

 

Thy love burns within us ever so bright

We bear Thy holy name

And in Thee unite

through Gospel’s everlasting light.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Hope of the World by Greg Collins)

 

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK

 

“The Sermon on the Mount, including the Beatitudes, was delivered to true believers; to the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb (it was their ordination sermon), to the saints of the Most High God; to members of the Church of Jesus Christ; to people who had been baptize and who were in process of seeking the riches of eternity. To them – after holding out the blessed and sanctified wonders of gospel obedience, as these are stated in the Beatitudes – Jesus now says: “Ye are the salt of the earth….Ye are the light of the world.” That is to say: ‘Ye are the choicest and best people on earth; and ye must now be an example to all men, that others seeing your good works, shall come unto me and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah Book 2, p. 127)

 

Out of all the Beatitudes, I am most taken by this one: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Even though the Saviour proclaimed himself to be “meek and lowly of heart” (Matt 11:29), He did not inherit the earth whilst here because as things are now constituted, the meek shall not inherit the earth until that fateful day when all things shall be done away with and the earth will receive its celestial glory. 

 

So many of us are clinging to earthly possessions and aspire to acquire more. The Saviour had neither gold nor silver nor houses nor lands nor kingdoms when He was here. The riches of this world were but a fleeting moment in time for Him and He had no interest in them. So lowly was the Saviour that he directed Peter when the tax collector came to catch a fish in whose mouth was lodged a coin, to pay a levied tax for both of them (Matthew 17:24-27). So much power yet ‘foxes had holes, and birds of the air had nests; but the Son of man had nowhere to lay His head’ (Luke 9:58). The self-restraint in using His power only for the good of others is beyond commendation. Such is the God we worship and follow, such is the God we love…..are we ready to let go off the world and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world???

 

 

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Artist Unknown)

THE POWER OF "I AM"

 

I am mesmerised by the method of identity used in the Book of Mormon. It is not a method we use today in our written communication but to me it is enchanting. It says volumes about the person who proclaims “I am”. It ignites my heart with tenderest of emotions to hear this:

  

“I am Moroni; I am a leader of the people of the Nephites” (Alma 54:14). I just have to read this sentence and know who Captain Moroni was. I have been enthralled by his staggering passion for liberty, the welfare of his people and his faith in Christ as I have studied and admired his warfare acumen through the pages of the book of Alma. He is a fearless man who boldly addressed the leader of the Lamanites, as ‘a child of hell’ (Alma 54:11); he is the man at whose feet the Lamanites threw their weapons (Alma 52:38); he is the man who was beloved by all the people of Nephi (Alma 53:2); he is the man that Helaman addressed as his ‘beloved brother Moroni’ (Alma 56:2,45;58:41). All these things and more rush into my mind when I hear his name. His greatness is too numerous to name here. 

 

Another proclamation of self-identity that gets to me is, “I am Helaman, the son of Alma” (Alma 58:41). When I hear his name I remember the warrior who became a ‘Father’ to 2,000 young men he affectionately called his ‘little sons’ (Alma 56:30,39,44,46) and led them into war with valour and trust in God. To me, when Helaman says “I am the son of Alma” he is referring to more than just a biological connection but to his upbringing by a man who sorrowed for his people (Alma 8:10,14; 31:1,2,30,31;35:15) and sacrificed himself over and over to rescue them from the jaws of hell. Helaman walked in the footsteps of a father whose  accomplishments will echo throughout eternity. When I hear that he is the son of Alma, I know who Helaman is….because he was raised by a great man.

 

Now consider another greatness of valiancy: “I am Mormon, and I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (3 Nephi 5:12,13) . I believe that’s exactly who Mormon is when I read the greatest discourse in holy writ that he has penned on faith, hope and charity  (Moroni 7).  Someone who has produced a mammoth witness of Jesus Christ such as the Book of Mormon can with surety declare himself as His disciple. But nothing speaks to me volumes about this man as much as this poignant advice to his son which echoes in my heart repeatedly: “For we have a labour to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness” (Moroni 9:6). This was his creed and he went down fighting in the quest of its achievement. 

 

This Christmas, however,  may our hearts and minds be turned to the greatest I AM of all times….

·       I am the bread of life (John 6:31, 51)

·       I am the light of the world (John 8:12)

·       I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7,9)

·       I am the good shepherd (John 10:11,14)

·       I am the resurrection and life (John 11:25)

·       I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6)

·       I am the true vine (John 15:1,5)

·       I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God (3 Nephi 9:15)…….

 

Such magnitude of power

Of love, mercy and light

Cradled in the body

Of a baby’s heart.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Light of the World by Nathan Greene)