The man I’m telling you about was not a scrooge. He was kind, decent, and generous to his family and upright with others. He just didn’t believe in all of that incarnation stuff told at Christmas time. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus story of God coming to earth as a man. He told his wife, “I’m just not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.”
As he stayed home the snow began to fall. He watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then returned to his fireside chair to read. Soon he heard a thudding sound. Then another, and then another.
At first he thought someone was throwing snowballs against the window. But when he went to the front door, he saw a flock of birds huddled outside miserably in the snow. They were seeking shelter. He couldn’t let the poor creatures just lie there and freeze, so he went to the barn that would provide them a warm shelter. All he needed to do was to direct the birds into the barn. Quickly he opened the barn doors wide and turned on a light so the birds would know and see the way into the barn.
But the birds simply did not come in. He enticed them but they ignored him. He ran to the house and returned with breadcrumbs to lead them to the lighted open doorway of the warm barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored him and the crumbs and remained in the freezing snow. He then tried to catch some of them but could not. He waved his arms and tried shooing them into the barn. Instead, they scattered away from him and the warm welcome barn.
He finally realized that they were afraid and avoided him. Then he thought, “If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. I do not want to hurt them but I have come to help them. But how?” He then thought to himself, “If only I could become a bird and mingle with them and speak their language.
They would not fear me. Then I could show them and have them follow me to the way of life and safety to the safe warm barn. If only I could become one of them so they could see, and hear, and understand.” At that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood there listening to the bells ringing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then as he looked at the birds and listened to the bells ringing, he slowly nodded and knelt in the snow to pray, “Lord, now I understand the true meaning of Christmas.”
____
Christ is the humility of God embodied in human nature; the Eternal Love humbling itself, clothing itself in the garb of meekness and gentleness, to win and serve and save us.
And for thanks we nailed Him to the cross, and in His agony he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act of love in history, He said, 'Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing.'
He shed tears for those that shed His blood. Jesus was God and man in one person, tortured to utmost agony and crying for us while dying for us, so that, far beyond the eve of Adam's sin, God and man might reconcile and be happy together again.
It is for these reasons that no one else holds or has held the place in the heart of the world which Jesus holds. While other gods may have been as devoutly worshipped, no other man has been so devoutly loved. —Bridged Quotes from Various Authors
Stunned, I imagine, to see His actual blood. To know- KNOW - that He Whom we receive in The Eucharist...so casually and commonplace- really *is.* What a graced moment for you, Frank. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family Frank. I was married in Rome 22 years ago but I didn’t visit the stairs. I hope to remedy that very soon after reading this piece.
Merry Christmas, Frank! Thank you for sharing your meditation on the stairs. I was in Rome this past summer, and everything you say hits home.
Merry Christmas Bear! I tried to make sense of this as it was quite the moment. Glad not to have failed to do so!
This is another wonderful piece, Frank: beautifully written, evocative and profoundly moving. It’s also very funny in places! Thank you, Frank.
You’re welcome CM. I’m glad you found it worth your time.
Paul Harvey The Man and the Birds –
The man I’m telling you about was not a scrooge. He was kind, decent, and generous to his family and upright with others. He just didn’t believe in all of that incarnation stuff told at Christmas time. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus story of God coming to earth as a man. He told his wife, “I’m just not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.”
As he stayed home the snow began to fall. He watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then returned to his fireside chair to read. Soon he heard a thudding sound. Then another, and then another.
At first he thought someone was throwing snowballs against the window. But when he went to the front door, he saw a flock of birds huddled outside miserably in the snow. They were seeking shelter. He couldn’t let the poor creatures just lie there and freeze, so he went to the barn that would provide them a warm shelter. All he needed to do was to direct the birds into the barn. Quickly he opened the barn doors wide and turned on a light so the birds would know and see the way into the barn.
But the birds simply did not come in. He enticed them but they ignored him. He ran to the house and returned with breadcrumbs to lead them to the lighted open doorway of the warm barn. To his dismay, the birds ignored him and the crumbs and remained in the freezing snow. He then tried to catch some of them but could not. He waved his arms and tried shooing them into the barn. Instead, they scattered away from him and the warm welcome barn.
He finally realized that they were afraid and avoided him. Then he thought, “If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. I do not want to hurt them but I have come to help them. But how?” He then thought to himself, “If only I could become a bird and mingle with them and speak their language.
They would not fear me. Then I could show them and have them follow me to the way of life and safety to the safe warm barn. If only I could become one of them so they could see, and hear, and understand.” At that moment the church bells began to ring. He stood there listening to the bells ringing the glad tidings of Christmas. Then as he looked at the birds and listened to the bells ringing, he slowly nodded and knelt in the snow to pray, “Lord, now I understand the true meaning of Christmas.”
____
Christ is the humility of God embodied in human nature; the Eternal Love humbling itself, clothing itself in the garb of meekness and gentleness, to win and serve and save us.
And for thanks we nailed Him to the cross, and in His agony he looked down at us - denying him, abandoning him, and betraying him - and in the greatest act of love in history, He said, 'Father, forgive them, they don't know what they are doing.'
He shed tears for those that shed His blood. Jesus was God and man in one person, tortured to utmost agony and crying for us while dying for us, so that, far beyond the eve of Adam's sin, God and man might reconcile and be happy together again.
It is for these reasons that no one else holds or has held the place in the heart of the world which Jesus holds. While other gods may have been as devoutly worshipped, no other man has been so devoutly loved. —Bridged Quotes from Various Authors
Stunned, I imagine, to see His actual blood. To know- KNOW - that He Whom we receive in The Eucharist...so casually and commonplace- really *is.* What a graced moment for you, Frank. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you too Jeron! Yes it was quite the moment.
Merry Christmas and God bless you and your family Frank. I was married in Rome 22 years ago but I didn’t visit the stairs. I hope to remedy that very soon after reading this piece.