Mary's Dream

A few days ago I read a story that reached me over the Internet about “a dream” the Blessed Virgin Mary had.

Since today is December 24, the day we will gather in the evening to celebrate Christmas, I want to share it with you. It is a tale that can lead us to reflect and ask ourselves: will we live Christmas with its true meaning?

Here is the story:

“I had a dream, Joseph… I couldn’t really understand it, but I think it was about the birth of our Son; yes, I think that’s what it was about. People were getting ready six weeks ahead of time. They decorated their houses and bought new clothes. They went shopping again and again and bought elaborate decorations and presents.

It was very strange, because none of the presents were for our Son. They wrapped them in beautiful paper, tied them with lovely ribbons and put them all under a tree. There was a figure at the top of the tree; I think it was a star or an angel. Oh, it was truly beautiful.

Everyone was happy and smiling. They were all excited about the presents; they exchanged them with one another, Joseph, but there was none left for our Son. You know, I don’t think they even know him, because they never mentioned his name. Don’t you think it’s strange that people go to so much trouble to celebrate the birthday of someone they don’t even know?

I had the strange feeling that if our Son had been at the celebration, he would only have been an intruder. Everything was so beautiful, Joseph, and everyone so happy, but I felt a great urge to cry. How sad for Jesus not to be wanted at his own birthday party. I’m glad it was only a dream. But how terrible, Joseph, if it had been real.”

This ironic tale reflects, in a way, what Christmas has become for some people, even for some who call themselves Christians.

Christmas is a beautiful time to share with our family and friends (food, presents and so on), but the most important thing is to understand that at this time Jesus Christ is waiting for us with open arms (just as we see him in the little crib of the nativity scene), to be born again and shine in our hearts, so that through our preparation and personal conversion God’s grace can work in us.

Christmas is a wonderful time to remember that God, who loves each of us with an immense heart, sent his Son in human form to give us his example and teach us the Way we must follow to be happy on this earth. God sent his beloved Son to come and save us from sin.

We must never forget that. And that is the heart of Christmas: to use this time to prepare ourselves inwardly as well as we can, making use of the sacraments of confession, the Eucharist and so on, which will cleanse and adorn our souls so that we can receive the Child God as well as we possibly can. Everything else is an extra that we add to celebrate the great birthday party of the Child Jesus.

I thank God that here in Venezuela we have the beautiful custom that at Christmas many of our children and young people also prepare themselves, at school or in their parishes, by taking presents to children who are sick or in need. This Christmas I saw once again how hundreds of them used their holidays to go to poor places in the country to hand out thousands of toys and bags of food. It is a wonderful Christmas custom that many of our homes instill in children as soon as they are old enough to understand.

Another very beautiful custom that reminds us of the reason for Christmas is making lovely nativity scenes in homes, parishes, shopping centers, hospitals, checkpoints, parks and so on. For children it is an unforgettable moment to take part in that task, where they love taking out and placing the little sheep, the mule, the ox and the rest. And how exciting it is for them to look for the Baby Jesus we have hidden away, to put him in the manger on the 24th at midnight!

Let us never forget that the guest of honor this December 25 is the Child Jesus! The Child God loves us so much, and from heaven he will be very happy to see our families give him the place he deserves. I am sure the Holy Family will delight in our lovely aguinaldos, our Christmas carols; that is a beautiful gift we can offer them. Sitting together around the nativity scene and singing aguinaldos with our cuatro, furruco and maracas is something unforgettable that our families will always remember and that will be passed on from generation to generation.

The Child Jesus will take care of sending us thousands of blessings so that we can keep walking on this earth, where He has placed each of us to love him above all things and to love everyone around us.

Merry Christmas, and may God and the Blessed Virgin fill all of God’s children on this earth with abundant graces and blessings!