A Poetic Christmas Story

By Sr. Theresa Tanko, SHCJ

Welcome to the rhythm of the drum beat of the foretelling of the Great one of countless thousand years ago by the great men of old through the revealing of the Ancient of ages. The prophets listened with raptness of spirit in the silence of throbbing hearts, to understand the rhythmic message. With hast of clarity, the story of the Great one is narrated in the clean lips of the chosen of the Ancient one. The old Books contain them which are vividly narrated long, long ago. They are told and retold and reread and re-sing over and over again in the holy shrines where the Spirit of the Ancient one speaks to weary and faint hearted, but which are rekindled with clarity and courage, and with burning zeal and sometimes with confused piety but shaped by the Spirit and redirected to right probes.

The message understood vividly of the Promised one to come, from the stock of Jesse and the line of David; a lineage not perfect though, the reality tells of the character of the Ancient one who works not only in straight paths but also, astoundingly, in the most crocked of them at times, this to lower the pride of the haughty and bring creatures to humility and transparency of spirit.

Yes, the drum beat of the story of the Great one, familiar to countless hearts each year, resonating a newness that sparks throbbing hearts and probing spirits, ignited deep within by the blazing zeal of love. It is the same old, old story yet which rouses the restless spirits of Simeon and Anna at the right moment of visitation to the temple. A sudden dimness of the eyes befalls Simeon and arouses in him the exclamation of a heart that can rest now from the troubles of this world and resignation to depart in peace to the place of eternal rest assured by this unexpected gift of experience of an uncommon encounter with the Great one. Yet, not departing quietly, the silent joy beneath the heart of the Mother of the Child is stirred through foretelling of the future reality of the little and mighty one in her arms, as she beholds in awe. Her heart is set pondering at the strange words, but not strange because she is familiar with the dealings of the Ancient one, who astounds her through the lips of Angel Gabriel, as pure and innocent as she is and looks, she becomes the mother of all by her yes to a message so strange yet so crystal.

Ah! The day the great story is narrated that the Great one has broken forth, into our world of endless confusion and weariness with hope and courage aroused in each heart that hears, we dance and make merry, the maidens of Jerusalem! The crowd, both young and old hasten to the unfamiliar yet familiar, We light our lamps and go in search of the place! Yes, the Shepherds are quick to see, hear, understand and rejoice at the dawn. In hasty journey are the wise men who are swift to grasps and journey Southward with their treasures to the newly born who lays helplessly yet stronger than no one can withstand. All along it is the joyful story narrated, experienced, accepted and welcomed with serenity of peace and transparent joy by all and sundry.

Alas!  A new dawn, so strange that breaks forth with Herod, stirred by the frenzied spirit of jealousy frantically seeking to outwit the Ancient one. Too daring! How a creature of the Ancient one can outwit the maker beats every imagination. So cunning and so deceitful, wisdom overtakes this creature who stands in nakedness of shame to plan and execute the most barbaric of deeds that result in the extermination of the little ones of Bethlehem. How could such be allowed to happen? They question, they wail in endless tears as though they could never be consoled. Well, tragedy we are told, a part of our existence! But the Great one heals to the extent, no one dares to remain in the same feeling. Thus the return to the story of the Great one with its soothing balm that tends the heart, stills the blaze of anger, eradicate the scares and rouses a newness of spirit that connects to the great story ever told and rejoices and dance to the rhythm of the drum beat of the new dawn.

Whence, we dance and make merry as nothing, nothing can and never holds us back. Endlessly, we sing our hearts out to heaven’s surprises. Come on then, we are the Christmas people amidst toil and disappointment of creatures of God yet in the midst of these we tell ourselves, we will continue to dance in joyous abundance because our God dispenses are endless, yes, faith keeps us going, moving, signing and dancing in endless praise of countless joyous songs in praise of the Great one. Yes, we hold our hands and twist our feet to the rhythm of the great dance of our salvific story until the day of freedom in the great beyond.