Crystal Cathedral at Christmas
Published in: Holidays Remembered, by the Atlantic Shores Writers
Copyright © 2009
Jason Lester Atkins
985 Fleet Drive, #347
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
All Rights Reserved.
Little did we know, on that Christmas Eve when we turned off the crowded freeway at the Garden City exit, what a new experience of sight and sound we were soon to experience at the Crystal Cathedral!
This beautiful edifice, gleaming in the afternoon sun, is the result of the dreams and enterprise of Rev. Robert Schuler, who started off holding services in an abandoned drive-in theater a few years back.
Entering, we were seated in the dark before a huge covered stage. Our special effects feelings began as we looked past the seats, through the crystal wall, to watch cars stream by on the busy highway we had just left. The auditorium filled quickly but, a strange quiet seemed to settle on the audience.
From the front orchestra pit a bass drum joined a high pitched cello in a connected melody. The stage dome lifted, as if on cue, while the stage lights shone on a centered manger scene. This scene was peopled with live Mary and Joseph in beautiful period costumes. They were standing beside a live baby, in swaddling clothes, waving his arms from his manger cradle.
From the left stage, two live donkeys walk in and stand calmly beside Joseph. Following close behind a large camel whose head turned in awe, first toward the manger and then toward the orchestra pit -- questioning to himself, "why am I here?"
The focus of attention shifted to a huge live elephant following the camel. This beast must have had a big meal of hay recently because he stopped in mid stride and took a huge crap on stage. Immediately an attendant with a broom and a long handled dust pan ran on stage to sweep up the drop. Our audience expressed a wave of gasps as the scent of digested hay floated by their nostrils.
Off stage, a hidden choir began to sing the "Hallelujah Chorus." This changes the mood and attention back to the lighted stage. Light began to glow to the upper right of the stage. In walked the Three Wise Men in colorful costumes and flowing white beards.
The sight was the same as seen for years by most of the audience. It was the same story, setting and characters so familiar in memories, except just over the heads of the Three Wise Men a beautiful live angel with huge white wings and wide spread arms suspended in the sky with her feet almost touching the manger roof. This is such a realist flying miracle it caught our attention as something new to cause our pulse to quicken in expectation.
One light beam shifted to the far right upper sky where another flying angel, who's white scarf flowed out behind her as she flew. She reached the midpoint of the stage and stopped. Her smile is so open and innocent it can be seen from all corners of the audience as if a miracle was in progress before our eyes.
These live teenage angels made the manger scene more alive as in "real times." Baby Jesus lifted his arms out to mother Mary while uttering an audible cooing sound. The wise men, each in turn, took short steps back and forth to kneel in front of the Christ child. Everything in live motion brought those of us watching into a special feeling of private participation with the holiness of Christmas Spirit.
Again, the hidden choir in full throated voices broke out singing, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." On this note, three more angels flew out of the upper left sky to pause in a group, over the scene. All remained quiet for a few moments while the choir completed "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." This silence, with such a scene before them, seemed to soak into the inner souls of the watchers. For such a large crowd, not a sound was heard. Then, the threesome group of angels, over center stage, begins to sing, "We Wish You A Merry Christmas." All the animals turned and marched off stage; lights on stage darkened slowly.
The three angels fly off stage over our heads to disappear in back. The dome covering blacked out all scenes.
We began to rise and leave. As we left the Cathedral, no one chatted as custom after most presentations. Instead a special light of love and compassion reflected on the faces of everyone. As we continued to our cars to enter the crowded southern California freeways, our spirits remained infused with the Continual Continuum of Christmas!
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