© 2024 The Interpreter Foundation. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All content by The Interpreter Foundation, unless otherwise specified, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available here.
Interpreter Foundation is not owned, controlled by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All research and opinions provided on this site are the sole responsibility of their respective authors, and should not be interpreted as the opinions of the Board, nor as official statements of LDS doctrine, belief or practice.
Reading again Hugh Nibley’s “The Christmas Quest” reminds me of the ease with which he was at home in the English language, and also the unease he felt for the disease of human things driven by a lust for power and gain. For a moment, perhaps, we can experience at least a deep longing for world without the injustice that frets even the best of human endeavors. Hopefully through the glitter of the clutter of mercenary worship of things made available for a price, for a season we are reminded that life after life awaits all of us because of the birth of a special child in a village long ago. We can, if we will, sense that which can be had without money and without price and hence what is freely given by the one whose birthday we celebrate–the one who won a victory for all of us over both the death of the body and also the soul.
This cold Saturday nether-morning, the 21st of December, I am moved–once more–by the small assuring voice in the dark that reminds, ‘the hopes and fears of all the circling years’ are met with Good News. I will chuck my worries and privately (only you and I now know) welcome Christmas this year in the right mood because the editors at The Interpreter kindly reminded me of Hugh and of The Christ Spirit, given to every person alive, that whispers ‘this is not everything . . . much more and better is to come . . . your short and troubling sojourn will be worth the effort . . . be of good cheer . . . ‘ Thanks. Yuletide greetings to you.