B3 - E2 Of Shepherds and Angels
Mary and Joseph slept for a while but were awakened by a gentle knocking on the door of the stable and an unexpected sound. Joseph opened the door to be met with an amazing sight. There before him stood a group of shepherds. The sound was coming from a newly-born lamb, held in the arms of a young shepherd boy. The sky behind them was filled with the light of a radiant star.
"Come in, come in," Joseph urged them and one by one, they entered the stable. The baby stirred so Mary gathered him in her arms and, smiling at the boy, beckoned him to come closer. He crept up towards her, holding out the lamb as a present. Joseph took the lamb from him, thanking them all for such a special gift. Looking first at the baby and then up at Mary, the young lad whispered, “What’s his name?” Mary looked first at Joseph and they both smiled, then Joseph said to the boy, “We’re going to call him Jesus.”
The stable was full of excited talk as the shepherds told them why they had come. They explained that they had been out on the hillside watching over their sheep and were sitting around the fire to keep warm, when, suddenly, the sky was filled with light, and when they looked up, an angel was standing before them.
"The angel told us not to be afraid,’’ they said, "and gave us the joyful news that a baby had been born in Bethlehem that night, a baby who would grow up to be the Messiah that we have all been waiting for. They said we would find him wrapped up in swaddling bands and lying in a manger! Then, the sky became full of angels. They were singing and praising God and wishing peace to all people on earth.
"When the angels disappeared and returned to heaven, we decided to come and look for the baby. The lad here wanted to bring a present so we let him bring this little lamb that had been born just before the angel came. The mother ewe was old and wouldn’t have been able to feed the lamb so he would have to be hand-fed anyway. As we stood up, the brightest star we'd ever seen was shining over Bethlehem. We followed the star and it led us straight to this stable."
The shepherds came up to Mary in turn to gaze at her son lying peacefully asleep in her arms. She smiled at them all and Joseph thanked each of them personally for coming to share their joy and for their great generosity. They could see that Mary was tired so they left the stable quietly, full of wonder and awe because of all they had seen and experienced, a feeling shared by everyone they told afterwards.
Joseph laid the baby back in the manger, while the lamb, born at the same time as their child, snuggled up in the straw at their feet. He and Mary talked over everything the shepherds had told them, marvelling at the wonder of it all. Gradually, Joseph fell asleep but Mary lay awake for a while, thinking over all the events of the night, knowing that she would treasure them in her heart forever.
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