Story of a hundred years ago

By: Modesto P. Sa-onoy

We continue last Saturday’s grandmother’s story of a man looking for coals to start a fire to warm his family. He found a gruff shepherd who reluctantly allowed him to take some embers.  “Take as much as you need!” he said to the man.

“But then the fire was nearly burnt out. There were no logs or branches left, only a big heap of live coals; and the stranger had neither spade nor shovel, wherein he could carry the red-hot coals.

“When the shepherd saw this, he said again, ‘Take as much as you need!’ And he was glad that the man wouldn’t be able to take away any coals.

“But the man stooped and picked the coals from the ashes with his bare hands and laid them in his mantle. And he didn’t burn his hands when he touched them, nor did the coals scorch his mantle; but he carried them away as if they had been nuts or apples.

“And when the shepherd, who was such a cruel and hard-hearted man, saw all of this, he began to wonder to himself: ‘What kind of night is this when the dogs do not bite and sheep are not scared, and the staff does not kill or the fire scorch?’ He called the stranger back, and said to him: “What kind of a night is this? And how does it happen that all things show you compassion?’

Then said the man, “I cannot tell you if you yourself do not see it.” And he wished to go his way that he might soon make a fire and warm his wife and child.

“But the shepherd did not wish to lose sight of the man before he found out what all this might portend. He got up and followed the man until they came to the place where he lived.

“Then the shepherd saw that the man had not so much as a hut to dwell in, but that his wife and babe were lying in a mountain grotto, where there was nothing but the cold and naked stone walls.

“The shepherd thought that the poor and innocent child might freeze to death there in the grotto; and, although he was a hard man, he was touched, and thought that he would like to help it. He loosened his

knapsack from his shoulder, took from it a soft, white sheepskin, gave it to the stranger, and said that he should let the child sleep on it.

“But just as soon as he showed that he, too, could be merciful his eyes were opened, and he saw what he had not been able to see before. He saw that all around him stood a ring of silver-winged angels, and each held a stringed instrument and sang in loud tones that tonight the Savior was born who should redeem the world from its sins.

“Then he understood that all things were so happy this night that they didn’t want to do anything wrong. And it was not only around the shepherd that there were angels, but he saw them everywhere. They sat inside the grotto, they sat outside on the mountain and they flew under the heavens. They came marching in great companies, and, as they passed, they paused and cast a glance at the child.

“There was such jubilation and such gladness and songs and play! All this he saw in the dark night, whereas before he could not have made out anything. He was so happy because his eyes had been opened that he fell upon his knees and thanked God.”

Here, Grandmother sighed and said, “What that shepherd saw, we might also see, for the angels fly down from heaven every Christmas Eve, if we could only see them.”

Then Grandmother laid her hand on my head and said, “You must remember this, for it is true, as true as that I see you and you see me. It is not revealed by the light of lamps or candles, and it does not depend upon the sun and moon; but that which is needful is, that we be merciful. Only then our eyes will open to see God’s glory.”

We don’t always see the fruit of our generosity or kindness, but God does. May 2020 open our eyes to those in need.