The Christmas Geese

"The Christmas Geese"

I was once told this very interesting story regarding the Christmas Geese.

I have found it useful in helping people who are basically living a superficial, self centred, Godless existence, to pause and reflect about the meaning of life.

We are entering an insane period of intense Materialism, Commercialism, Spending, Gluttony and Selfishness, as we approach the Feast of the Nativity of the Saviour, Jesus Christ, on 25th December.

The insanity of this period is made manifest by the attempts of the Pagans / Secularists to take Christ out of Christmas and the result is a bland joyless and Godless "Winter Festival" "Winterville" and "Winter Wonderland"

I kid you not!

Yes, "Winterfest" is now the alternative to Christmas for the Pagans, who dont want to offend anyone in our multi-cultural Ireland, but who are quite happy offending every Christian in it.

Its very sad and soulless.

There are children nowadays who think the 25th December is actually the Birthday of Santa Claus.  I rest my case.

No Nativity story or plays, no Christmas eve, no Christmas cards, no Midnight Mass, no Virgin birth, no MASS OF CHRIST on Christmas Day. (Christ-Mass)

Instead its all:

Ho Ho Ho, Father Christmas (your very lucky if he is called that as it has Priestly overtones) "Santa", "Santa-Claus" "Santi" "Santi and the Reindeers", Ad Nauseum.

 Pine trees, Snowmen, Pantos, Twinkling lights, Excessive Food, Excessive Alcohol with all its negative impacts and of course, excessive spending.

Its all about ME ME ME and lets pretend were doing it for the Kids.

The best gift they could give to their children, is the gift of a living FAITH in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.

Oh I have to give it to the Secularists / Pagans, they know how to party, but didnt they always, from antiquity, know how to do that ? 

The following story, might help all of us to enjoy the Christmas period with some perspective, with Christian Joy, Love and Hope for the future.

 

I will now retell the story of the "Christmas Geese":

There was once an elderly woman called Breda, living on a very small Irish farm, her husband had died several years earlier and her children were grown up and living abroad.

It was late afternoon on Christmas Eve, she was alone in the house, cooking and reflecting on the fact that her son and daughter had their own families now and were abroad, living their own lives and couldnt get home for Christmas this particular year.

She was happy with her lot, she knew her family would be coming home for New Year, she had very good neighbours and she had good health.

Breda had a lot to thank Almighty God for.

The telephone rang and it was her neighbour wondering if she was going to come with her to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the local Church.

Oh Mary, she said, 

I certainly wont be going to any Church this Christmas eve.

Oh why is that Breda? asked her very curious neighbour.

Well Mary, of course I believe in God who created the Universe out of nothing,

I believe He created the Sun, Moon and Stars, the Animals, Birds and Fish, the Mountains, Seas and Oceans.

But I just cant believe He became a little human baby, completely defenceless and helpless, it doesnt make any rational sense, sure why would God want to do that? The whole story of the Nativity is complete nonsense if you ask me.

Eventually after some small talk about the weather, the phone call with the neighbour ended.

Shortly after this, Breda heard a loud commotion going on outside her window in the Farmyard.

She went outside to see what the commotion was all about.

A small flock of wild geese had landed in the farmyard and were honking, hooting and head bobbing around the place.

She stared at the Wild Geese, so beautiful with wonderful plumage and with majestic necks and wings, flapping around her farm, honking loudly and obviously very animated by something she couldnt see. 

Oh what on earth am I going to do with these Geese she said to herself?

The evening is coming on and if they dont fly away from here soon, the foxes will arrive during the night and devour them all.

She tried shooing them away, but they flatly refused to take off and each time the honking and the flapping of wings would intensify, they were determined not to leave her farmyard.

As dusk was descending, Breda thought to herself, I know what I will do, if I open the barn and turn on the light inside they can then see it is a safe haven for the night.

Maybe they will go in then and I can close the door behind them to protect them from the Foxes.

So the barn doors were opened wide with a light turned on inside and Breda proceeded to attempt to shoo the very animated Geese inside.

The Geese would have none of it, they would not fly away and neither would they be shooed into this open barn.

Each time Breda attempted to get them into safety, they would rebel and go the opposite way.

This went on untill sundown and eventually darkness enveloped them all.

After alot of effort, Breda finally gave up her frantic attempts, she sat down on the doorstep and burst into tears of utter frustration.

She said to herself:

"If only I could become a Goose for a few moments, Id be able to speak to them in their own language. Id tell them how much I love them and want to protect them from the Fox"
And at that moment, Breda understood that the story of the Nativity was all true.

That was why God became a human being in the person of Jesus.

He lowered Himself to become one of us, so that He could speak to us in our own language and show us how much He loves us.

"And The Word was made flesh and Dwelt Amongst Us"

The Wild Geese understood that the message they had been entrusted to deliver to Breda, had been delivered. They had fulfilled their duty to God.

They spread their wings and took off to a safe refuge for the night.

Breda picked up the phone to her neighbour and arranged to accompany her to Christmas Eve Midnight Mass.

That Christmas Eve, she knelt in silent prayer before the Nativity Scene in the Church, in awe and wonder and thanksgiving.

              "Gloria in Excelsis Deo,  

            Et in Terra Pax Hominibus".

        "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven 

                and on earth peace to mankind".

"The Animals Adore Their Creator"

Happy Christmas 2017