A Christmas Story

By Paulo Coelho

According to an old and well-known legend, aweek before Christmas, Archangel Michael askedhis angels to visit the earth. He wanted toknow if everything was ready for thecelebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Hesent them in pairs, always an older angelaccompanying a younger one, so that they couldhave a broader picture of what happened inChristianity.

One of these pairs was assigned to Brazil,where they arrived late one night. Since theyhad nowhere to sleep, they took shelter in oneof the great mansions that can be seen incertain parts of Rio de Janeiro.The owner, a nobleman on the verge ofbankruptcy (which, incidentally, happens tomany people in that city), was a ferventCatholic, and soon recognized the heavenlypair by the golden halos on their head.However, he was too busy preparing a bigChristmas, and so as not to disturb thecompleted decorations, he requested that hisheavenly guests to sleep in the basement.

Although Greetings cards are alwaysillustrated with snow falling, Christmas fallsin the middle of summer in Brazil, the sun wasscorching hot and the air, full of moisture,it was almost suffocating. The angels laiddown on a hard floor, but before startingtheir prayers, the older angel noticed a crackin the wall. He got up, repaired it using hisdivine powers, and returned to his eveningprayers. The two felt as though they had spentthe night in hell, it was so hot.

They slept very poorly, but they needed tofulfill the mission entrusted to them by God.The next day, they went through the big city,with its 12 million inhabitants, its beachesand mountains, its contrasts, its beautifullandscapes and its horrible places. Theycompleted their reports, and when night fellback they began to travel into the country.But, distracted by the difference in hours,they again found themselves with no place tosleep.

They knocked on the door of a humble home,where a couple came to meet them. Lackingaccess to medieval engravings that portrayedthe messengers of God, the couple did notrecognize the two pilgrims, but told theangels that if they were in need of shelter,the house was theirs. They prepared a dinner,presented their little newborn baby andoffered his room to the angels. Theyapologized that they were poor and that whilethe heat was great during the day, they had nomoney to buy an air conditioner.
When the angels awoke the next day they foundthe couple in tears. Their only possession, acow that gave milk for cheese, and support forthe family, was found dead in their field.They quickly parted with the pilgrims,embarrassed because they could not prepare abreakfast.

While walking through the mud road, theyounger angel showed his anger, “I can notunderstand this way of doing things! The firstman had everything he needed, and yet youhelped him by repairing his wall. Then withthis poor couple, who received us so well and kindly, you did nothing to alleviate theirsuffering!”

“Things are not what they seem,” said theolder angel, “when we were in that awfulbasement, I noticed there was plenty of goldhidden in the wall of the mansion, left thereby a previous owner. The crack was exposingthe treasure, and I decided to hide it again,because the landlord did not help those inneed. Yesterday, while we slept in the bed thepoor couple offered, I noticed that a thirdguest had arrived, the angel of death. He hadbeen sent to take the child, but since I'veknown him for many years, I convinced him totake the life of the cow in its place."

Remember the day that is about to becelebrated; since people didn’t give muchvalue to appearance, no one wanted to takeMary in. But the pastors welcomed her, andbecause of that, they had the grace to be thefirst to behold the smile of the Savior of theWorld.

Soource: paulocoelhoblog.com - e-mail paulo@paulocoelho.com.br

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