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“Christmas Solves the Ultimate Question”

“Christmas Solves the Ultimate Question”

Last updated on: December 22, 2025 at 9:52 pm by Dan Peterson

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“Christmas Solves the Ultimate Question” 2025-12-22T21:52:37-07:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I received this photo just before Christmas 2017 from friends at Jimmy’s Bazaar in East Jerusalem. Brigham Young University’s Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies — you can see it here in the upper left, with the tower of the Augusta Victoria Hospital to its right — had just turned on its Christmas lights for the first time that year.

This little article of mine went up earlier today in Meridian Magazine: “Christmas Solves the Ultimate Question: Is the Universe Friendly?”

“Modern science raises the question of a friendly universe—Christmas answers it in the form of a Child.”

And there is still time to see this excellent and (to me) very moving eighteen-minute film from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The Christ Child: A Nativity Story.

This might also be helpful for your Christmas observance, and perhaps for that of your family: “Apostles Share Christmas Messages with the World: President Dallin H. Oaks shared his post today”

And . . . If there’s a Giving Machine anywhere near you, there’s still time to visit it, and to take your family and your friends and your neighbors to visit it. Here is a listing of the locations for this year: “Share Your Light at a Light the World Giving Machine: Provide clothing, shelter, health care, education, and more through a unique giving experience this Christmas at the Giving Machine kiosks. Every donation makes a positive impact on someone’s life.”

A group of local Latter-day Saints in front of the Aba Nigeria Temple, which was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley in 2005. (Photo’s provenance unknown)

We’ll see within the next few days whether this grim warning is fulfilled. I certainly hope not: “Expert Raises Grave Fears of a ‘Christmas Massacre’ in Nigeria: Some Christians in Nigeria are afraid of going to church on Christmas.”

For some background, see these articles:

(19 March 2025) “How Violence Has Impacted Religious Gatherings In Nigeria”
(21 March 2024) “Nigeria’s Christian Repression Continues”
(27 December 2024) “Christian villages in Nigeria reeling after Christmas attacks leave nearly 200 dead”
(24 July 2019) “Trump Administration Honors Imam for Saving 262 Christians during Terror Attack”
(15 October 2018) “When covering Nigeria and Boko Haram, BBC consistently nails the crucial details”
(30 June 2018) “The Nigerian imam who saved Christians from Muslim gunmen”

Please include the Latter-day Saints in Nigeria in your prayers, along with the Christians there more generally. And, for that matter, along with the people of Nigeria altogether.

A dunce’s cap, from the Museum of Lincolnshire LIfe, in Lincoln, England (Wikimedia Commons public domain photograph)

I found this quite interesting and, candidly, it supports what I’ve always thought (which is a good reason to like it, right?): “High-achieving adults rarely began as child prodigies: It’s easy to assume that the most talented adults among us were once gifted children, but it turns out that talent during childhood is no guide to later success”

Quite comforting, I think. Maybe there’s still hope for me when I grow up.

A scene in the neighborhood of Reykjavik, Iceland
(Wikimedia Commons public domain photo)

Here’s a wonderful Christmas tradition, and I’m not surprised that it comes from Iceland, which evidently has one of the highest literacy rates — and one of the highest rates of book consumption — in the world:

Long before other gifts are unwrapped, Icelandic families exchange books on Christmas Eve in a tradition called Jólabókaflóð, which means “Christmas Book Flood.” Once the books are opened, the evening slows down. People settle in, turn the lights low, and read. What happiness!

The tradition apparently originated during World War II, when imported goods were scarce but, for whatever reason, paper was still available and books were still relatively affordable. Publishers took note of this and released most of their new titles just before Christmas. Over time, giving books became a Christmastime expectation in Iceland, and a cherished one.

It seems that the tradition is still going strong today. On Christmas Eve, homes grow quiet as people settle into reading, often with a cup of hot chocolate ready at hand. (What could be better?) The commercialism that too often mars the season is subdued, the harried holiday rush slows down, and Icelanders illustrate the fact that the best way to spend a chilly night is in a comfortable chair in a warm home with a good book.

From the BYU movie’s official site. (Fair Use)

If you get the chance over the next few days, consider watching BYU Television’s film about the creation of G. F. Händel’s great oratorio Messiah: http://byu.imodules.com/redirect.aspx?linkID=60353&eid=1273091 For one thing, you’ll never hear the aria “He was despised” quite the same way again. Even the New York Times gave the documentary a reasonably positive review: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/27/arts/television/the-making-of-handels-messiah-on-byutv.html?_r=1.

A view of Interlaken, Switzerland, on a winter’s night, as seen from the road to Beatenberg (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)

Here’s another sentimental favorite of mine from German-speaking Europe. The melody stems from a medieval Latin song, and the German lyrics seem to have been written by a monk in Salzburg, Austria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fslQruK5e4

Joseph, lieber Joseph mein,
hilf mir wiegen mein Kindlein.
Gott, der wird dein Lohner sein
im Himmelreich, der Jungfrau Sohn Maria.
Eia! Eia!

Gerne, liebe Maria mein,
helf ich dir wiegen das Kindelein.
Gott, der wird mein Lohner sein
im Himmelreich, der Jungfrau Sohn Maria.
Eia! Eia!

Freu dich nun, o Christenschar,
der himmlische König klar
nahm die Menschheit offenbar,
den uns gebar die reine Magd Maria.
Eia! Eia!

Süßer Jesu, auserkor’n,
weißt wohl, dass wir war’n verlor’n,
still uns deines Vaters Zorn,
dich hat gebor’n die reine Magd Maria.
Eia! Eia!

Here’s my quick and approximate translation, which makes no claim whatsoever to poetic quality and, in fact, didn’t so much as attempt it. It’s just woodenly literal:

Joseph, my dear Joseph,
help me rock my little child.
God will be the one who rewards you
in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Son of the Virgin Mary.
Eia! Eia!

Happily, my dear Mary,
I will help you rock the little child.
God will be the one who rewards me
in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Son of the Virgin Mary.
Eia! Eia!

Rejoice now, O Christian host!
Clearly the heavenly King
openly took upon himself humanity
in him whom the pure maiden Mary bore for us.
Eia! Eia!

Sweet and chosen Jesus,
you well know that we were lost.
Calm for us your Father’s wrath.
The pure maiden Mary has borne you.
Eia! Eia!

Posted from Centerville, Utah

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