Dearly Beloved of God,
I lay in my recliner in the dim light that shone through the picture window into the living room. I had just settled down to prepare for sleep. The prattle of sounds from the televison were gone. My prayers were done and thoughts about Donna Robinson, who had just died, lingered in my mind. That is when he appeared once again.
Those of you who have known me over the years will recognize of whom I speak. Gingwiggle arrived without any hint of arrival. Suddenly he was there. He sat atop of the books and papers on the tea table. I worried whether he might knock some of the stuff onto the floor. In the dim light, he dropped his chin slightly and peered over the silver spectacles on that banana shaped nose, and said, “You’re troubled.”
I replied, “Wrong word. Troubled doesn’t describe it.” He tilted his head to one side and asked, “Frustrated?” I thought for a moment. “That’s better, I guess.” Gingwiggle scratched his nose as he said, “You guess!”
Now I must pause for a moment to explain for those who may never have heard me recount a visit by this friend of mine. Gingwiggle is the Lord of the Limpocks. Limpocks are Keepers of the Doors to the Heart and Mind. Over the years, he has come to chide me and show me things about which I needed to be reminded. So it was that he said, “With Donna’s passing you are at your wits end over making a connection with the coming of Advent and the birth of the Babe.”
A tingle went up and down my spine as I anticipated what was next. Gingwiggle snapped his fingers three times and we were whisked away into the familiar whirlwind. We landed softly this time, to which I exhaled a breath of relief. We seemed to be at the right side of an entrance to a grotto. To my left stood three camels, smacking their lips in agitation. Gingwiggle snapped his fingers and pointed at the camels. I then realized they were talking and I understood what they were saying.
Cassy, Caspar’s Camel, nervously sputtered, “We must be on our way very soon. That human Herod will be looking for us.” Melky, Melchior’s camel replied, “Why do you think he is after us?” Balhead, Balthazar’s camel, answered. “What’s with you Melky? Didn’t you listen to our riders? That Herod, thinking himself a king, is somehow afraid of the little human child inside.” Cassy, in his nervous voice, said, “I think Herod wants Caspar’s gold.” Melky asked, “If it’s the human baby inside, how’s he a threat to Herod’s kingship?” Balhead, thoughtfully argued, “The Babe is more than another king. He’s a promise!”
At that very moment, a rooster poked his head out of the entrance to the grotto. To my amazement he spoke. “I could not help overhearing you three nervous humps. The human baby is more than a promise.” Melky looked down at the rooster and sputtered, “What?” The rooster, whose name I learned later was Ralphael, exclaimed, “He’s the promise of His Majesty, the ruler of the Universe. The baby will rescue us all from the Darkone!”
Melky sputtered very nervously, “The Darkone? Oh my, let’s get out of here!” Balhead replied, “We have to wait for our Magi. You know that. Besides, where would you go without Melchior to guide your reins?” Cassy spoke up and asked, “How come you, Balhead, and this rooster seem to know so much about this baby?” Raphael spoke up and answered, “A Messenger from His Majesty spoke to me.”
The three camels looked down at Raphael and in unison sputtered, “What, what what?” The rooster thrust out his chest with pride and said, “Indeed and not only that, the messenger said one of my descendants will crow loudly some early morning when the baby, all grown up, will be in great danger.” Balhead nodded his head and said, “Hmmm, I imagine that the loud crow would be a sign to someone.” “What kind of a sign?” sputtered Cassy.
I wanted to speak but Gingwiggle put a finger up to his lips to shush me. It was then that a donkey stuck his head out of the grotto. He peered over Raphael’s head, and wheezed, “Raphael’s telling the truth.” Donkey, that was his name, continued, “The messenger spoke to me also. He said that a descendant of mine will carry the grown up babe into the city of Jerusalem.”
A white fuzzy head poked out beneath Donkey and said, “Shush. You all are making too much noise. Let the baby sleep. His mother needs rest also.” Raphael cackled, “Ignore him. He keeps claiming that the humans will name the baby after him.” Melky sputtered, “Why would the humans do that?” The sheep hung his head down and sighed. “The humans offer many of us as gifts to His Majesty. We have been told by Raphael’s messenger the baby will chose to be like us.”
Cassy pulled back against his reins tied to the tether post. “I know what the sheep means. We have to get out of here!” Cassy’s camel legs were shaking. He pulled against the reins again. “Stop it,” sputtered Balhead. “We must wait for the Magi. Would you leave Caspar here to walk home alone? Are you such a sissy?” That seemed to get the camel’s attention. Cassy stopped pulling and raised up his head with a little anger. “I’m no sissy!”
The Rooster spoke up saying, “Neither is the baby. I told you he’s here because His Majesty has sent him to save us and everything from the Darkone.” Balhead sputtered at Cassy, “Listen to the rooster. I’d say we’re here to help the Magi, which means you are part of what His Majesty is doing through the baby. We have to trust that His Majesty knows what He’s doing?”
Melky interrupted with, “The Magi are coming out.” Donkey, Raphael and the sheep ducked back inside as Caspar stepped out. “Whoa there,” he said avoiding the retreating animals. “If I didn’t know better I’d say that we’ve broken up an animal convention.” Melchior, responded, “Maybe Joseph should use some of the frankincense to improve the atmosphere.” Balthazar, stepped up to mount Balhead and added, “You need to take hold of some more faith in the Great Spirit’s use of humble beginnings.” Caspar mounted Cassy and patted his shivering neck. “You might think my camel knows about the danger we’re facing.” Melchior responded, “The baby will face a lot more than Herod’s fear and jealousy.” Balthazar added, “We have seen a most wondrous child. Try to imagine what faith it will take for this child to be more than any other child ever born. I think he is meant to reveal in and through the pain of this world exactly what the Divine hopes humanity will behold.”
The three camels turned to leave. I think Balthazar said to the others as they departed, “I hope the child’s mother will understand the myrrh is a bitter perfume of a gathering gloom. I fear in years to come she will have sorrow and sighing beholding a painful bleeding and dying.”
I turned and looked down at Gingwiggle. He nodded his head and spoke ever so softly, “Yes my dear priest, there is the connection with Donna and Christmas. The coming of God’s love in the flesh was the beginning of the life to reveal how much He cares for everything and everyone. The beginning is recalled to remind you of the way to go through what is yet to come. The Child was with and in Donna all the way. You have witnessed the coming and going of trust in God. The Limpock snapped his fingers and I was back in my recliner and the dim glow of the porch light drifting through the picture window. The whisper in the living room said, “ Have a blessed Christmas!”
Have a Blessed Christmas,
Fr. Col+
CHRISTMAS 2014
GINGWIGGLE
