“Comfort Ye,” the first words of the manuscript, seemed to leap from the page. They dissipated dark clouds that had been pressing upon Handel for so long. His depression waned and his emotions warmed from interest to excitement as he continued to read of angelic proclamations of the Savior’s birth and of Isaiah’s prophecies of the Messiah, who would come to earth to be born as other mortal infants. A familiar melody Handel had composed earlier flooded into his mind as he read “For unto Us a Child Is Born.” The notes distilled upon his mind faster than he could put pencil to paper as he captured the image of the loving Good Shepherd in the aria titled “He Shall Feed His Flock.” Then came the overpowering exultation reflected in the “Hallelujah Chorus,” followed by the soft, supernal testimony of “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth.” The work came to its majestic conclusion with “Worthy Is the Lamb.”

via Handel and the Gift of Messiah – Ensign Dec. 2010.

Who better expresses the great joy and meaning of the Christmas season than the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing Handel’s Messiah? Halleluia! God sent Jesus, our Savior. For there truly is “no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent” (Mosiah 3:17)

Merry Christmas, Everyone! I’ll be back blogging after the weekend is over. May the Light and Spirit of Christ illuminate your holiday and make it holy.

winner-winner, chicken dinner 🙂