In the coming year as Brigham Young University celebrates its 150th anniversary, the campus community can become “beacons of light” to a world that “desperately needs it,” declared BYU President C. Shane Reese.
Speaking to students, faculty and staff gathered in the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, on Tuesday, Sept. 16, President Reese reiterated the theme of the school’s sesquicentennial — “Celebrating Gifts of Light.”
“My dear students, the answer to darkness is light. The answer to evil is Christ. He is the ultimate gift of light. And the goal for you and me this year — our 150th year as a university — is to grow, to celebrate, to share His light,” said President Reese in his opening devotional address for the new academic school year.
During Tuesday’s campus devotional, President Reese also noted the “truly dark” events last week that transpired at BYU’s neighboring institution, Utah Valley University, located roughly 4 miles down the road, when political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a rally with students.
“Darkness had its day,” said President Reese. “But I’m here to testify that better angels will prevail. I’m here to testify that Christ’s light will prevail. His light provides the comfort we need in any time of trial, hurt or sorrow. It always has, and it always will.”
President Reese repeated President Russell M. Nelson’s counsel to be peacemakers and encouraged listeners to “take heart. Be the peacemakers you hope to see in the world. This is the way of our Master.”
Sharing light with the world
A great place for the university to begin growing and sharing light is by exercising greater faith in Jesus Christ, President Reese said.
“While there is room to grow, we are making progress. In recent years, BYU has seen a marked increase in the percentage of BYU graduates reporting their faith in Jesus Christ and His living prophets and apostles has increased during their time on campus,” said President Reese.
BYU just welcomed one of the largest classes of freshmen to ever enter the university. Graduates this year will join more than 466,000 living alumni around the globe, he reported. “Alone, your light cannot be hid; together your light floods the earth.”
On average, 70% of BYU graduates have served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Graduates are also more likely to carry the titles of mother, father, husband and wife, said President Reese.
“There are few limits on your potential to influence this world for the better. But our light grows to its fullest brilliance only as we draw closer to the greatest gift ever given, even our Savior, Jesus Christ,” he said.
Like any birthday, BYU’s 150th is about gifts — “the gifts of light given to us and gifts of light we can share with others.”
President Reese shared several scriptural examples of gift givers and receivers — Jacob preparing gifts before being reconciled with his brother, Esau; the Magi who brought gifts to the Christ child; and Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who brought Jesus an alabaster box of “very precious ointment” to anoint His head.
“Dear students, can you see how gifts uplift and what they symbolize? Can you see why it’s important as disciples of Christ to be excellent givers and receivers of gifts of light?” President Reese asked.
The Magi and Mary gave what they could, President Reese observed. “I invite you to share your gifts for the glory of the Savior — give your gold, give your frankincense, give your alabaster box, your gifts of light. As you do so, the light in your life and the light on this campus will grow brighter until the perfect day.”
He testified: “No matter your past, Jesus will heal and help. He overcame sin so you and I can become clean. Choose Him. Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself. I promise His grace is sufficient for you. As you experience the greatest gift of light, I witness you will become beacons of light to this world that desperately needs it.”
The women of BYU
In her remarks, Sister Reese highlighted some of the women of BYU who have exemplified vision, devotion and discipleship of Jesus Christ. One of the examples she shared was Sister Patricia Holland, the late wife of President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. President and Sister Holland served as the leaders of BYU from 1980 to 1989.
“What I love about Sister Holland is how she cared deeply about the students and had incredible sensitivity to the troubles they faced,” Sister Reese noted.
Sister Reese expressed her hope that each student would choose to become a student of BYU, not just at BYU, “that you will shine your light for the world to see for ‘that light groweth brighter and brighter’ — ‘that all may be edified of all’ (Doctrine and Covenants 50:24; 88:122)."
