Of Heaven on Earth – Sunday, December 23, 1945
No matter what our thoughts have been throughout the year, no matter what the tension or the pressure of living, no matter what anxiety lies heavy upon our hearts, there comes almost imperceptibly at Christmas, a mellowing of spirit, a warmth of feeling that overrides all lesser things. Perhaps this is but a foretaste of that peace of which the Prince of Peace so often spoke.
Of course all men are not touched by the spirit of Christmas. But even with only a token observance, even with so many who do not subscribe to its message even thus poorly and imperfectly observed—think how different Christmas is from the other days of the year, for those who give it even small chance. And, thinking this, think how the peace of this day could be made to cover the earth and to cover all the days of the year. But what can you do about it? You perhaps are just a man with his family by his fireside, or a lad back home from many battles, or perhaps a mother—just one of millions who sent a son to war.
You don’t touch the world with your influence, you think. There is little, perhaps, that you know of statesmanship. You can’t go to a far country on a mission of diplomacy. You can’t call the nations together. So what can you do? The answer may be disappointing in its seeming simplicity— but remember we have to begin somewhere, so suppose we begin where we are; suppose we begin with courtesy and consideration in our homes. Then suppose we reach out to our neighbors. When we feel ourselves begin to hate someone, suppose we render him some service. Suppose we turn to the Ten Commandments and read them and conduct an honest self-examination. This may give us something to begin to work on. Suppose we keep the commandments of God and observe the timeless virtues and also the oft-neglected courtesies.
This is not a mere impractical idealism. Idealism is the most practical thing in the world, and, even from the standpoint of sheer self-interest, the most stupid and impractical people are those who depart from it. It has cost the world millions of lives and billions of dollars from generation to generation to try to find answers they like better—answers that aren’t there. So suppose we begin actually to work at doing unto others as we would have them do unto us. At Christmas, we come perhaps nearer to it than at any other time, and nearer also to a taste of heaven on earth—which points strong evidence to what the world could be, if men would let it be so. May the spirit of Christmas carry over, to give us strength and courage and faith—and peace, this day—and always. God bless us everyone.
“The Spoken Word,” heard over Radio Station K S L and the nationwide Columbia Broadcasting System, from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, Dec. 23, 1945. Copyright 1945.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 23, 1945
Broadcast Number 0,853