Day 13 The Christmas Thief: An Advent Calendar in Prose

 

The Christmas Thief

An Advent Calendar in Prose

Day 13

Reilly shook one more knob on Lime Street and turned onto King’s Ave. Everything quiet so far. A couple of revelers had wished him a Merry Christmas about an hour ago, but since then all was silent night. On the corner, Saint Anthony’s loomed against the sky. The moon just peeked over the steeple. Father Brown kept the side door open on these cold nights. Reilly slipped in to take the chill off his bones and took a seat close to the altar. Votary candles flickered by the creche in the corner. Saint Anthony’s had a tradition of adding figures to the scene a few at a time. Reilly had watched each week as shepherds joined the cattle and sheep, the Wise Men slid in behind the stable, and Joseph and Mary settled by the manger. The manger was empty, waiting for the baby who would be placed reverently into it on Christmas Eve. 

In his youth, Reilly had sung in the choir, alongside his brother Fred who had a fine tenor voice. Their mother had passed when they were young but Pa had been sure that they attended Mass every Sunday. Their oldest brother, Bob, had been an altar boy. Reilly had envied him as he swung the incense thurible and rang the bells at Mass. At Christmas, the echoes of angels announcing good news of great joy rang through the church as Reilly and Fred added their Hallelujahs. 

Pa and Bob were gone now, but Fred was a good uncle to his girls. He would be joining them on Christmas afternoon. Jenny and the girls were as excited as he was about Uncle Fred’s visit. Jenny was a fine hand at the piano so Hallelujahs would ring once more with the angelic voices of his girls trilling along.

Stamping his feet and dragging on his gloves, Reilly took one more glance at the creche shimmering in the light of the candles and headed out into the night. So far, all was calm, all was bright, and Reilly wanted to make sure it stayed that way. 

Hallelujah! Revelation 19:6-7a Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! (NIV)

Challenge: We all love the Hallelujahs we sing at Christmas. We add our voices to those of the angels announcing good news of great joy. Rejoice with the angels today. Be glad and give Jesus the glory. Join the multitude praising God so that our voices sound like the roar of rushing waters and loud peals of thunder! Sing a favorite holiday song today — loud and with joy!