The Christmas Thief
An Advent Calendar in Prose
Day 14
By the week before Christmas, Barnaby had developed a routine. Rising early, he’d follow the family to church. He’d watch Mama clean and then slip out for breakfast at Maggie’s, often returning later in the afternoon when the boys finished school. Barnaby lingered in the church after they left for home enjoying the quiet and the holiday decorations which had bloomed as the season went on. Wreaths draped every window. The Nativity scene grew as the church added shepherds, sheep, Wise Men with their camels, angels, and, just this week, Mary and Joseph. The manger would remain empty until Christmas Eve. Evenings came early. Often, Barnaby sat as candlelight replaced the light shining through the stained-glass windows flanking the altar. The church had routines too. Tuesdays and Fridays, the priest heard confessions. Mama kept Baby Girl extra quiet those days. Late Wednesday afternoons, children who attended the public schools came for catechism lessons. Barnaby listened as their teacher toured them around the sanctuary explaining the symbolism in the windows, relating the stories of Jesus feeding the 5000, Jesus walking on water, and, the story they liked best, Jesus being born in the manger.
“Why was he born in a barn?” asked one, “I was born in the hospital.”
“He was far from home and this was all his mother and father could find,” the teacher replied. “I am sure that he didn’t mind. His mama and papa were close and the animals kept the stable warm. Mary wrapped him up tight and Joseph made sure they were safe. Angels sang him to sleep.”
“Who are those guys standing outside? Where did Jesus get those camels?”
“Shepherds heard the angels and went to meet the new king. Wise Men rode camels from far away following the star in the sky.”
“Didn’t they have a map?” piped up a little boy.
“The stars were their map. They studied the stars for signs. When they saw that a king would be born, they gathered gifts and went to find him.”
“What kind of gifts did they bring? I want skates for Christmas,” said another.
“They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the most precious things they could find. You bring your best gifts to a king.”
“But he was just a baby. How did they know he would be king? He was born in a barn, not a palace.”
“That’s why they are called Wise Men. They believed what the stars told them. The shepherds believed the angels. This baby, born in a manger, would be the greatest king the world would ever know.” The teacher’s words trailed off as she and the students left the sanctuary. Barnaby waited in the darkness. He looked at Mary kneeling at the manger. He thought about the mama with her little brood sleeping close together in the bed on King’s Ave. As the moon rose, Barnaby slipped out into the night and got to work.
Follow the Star: Matthew 2:2 “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (NIV)
Challenge: Leave a card or treat for your mail carrier today. Pray that he brings good news.
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