Holidays

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The Christmas Gift
© 2006
by

Stephen A. Peterson


The sound of 16 year old Ramona Garrett’s voice on the telephone always brought a smile to Father Basil Keenan face. Through racked with a disease that baffles the medical community, Ramona was positive around every person she came in contact with. Mona Lisa, as she was called by her friends, because her picturesque smile resembled the world’s greatest and well-known pieces of art, just seemed to ooze faith, hope and happiness in spite of her troubles.

On this day, however, there seemed to be an unusual tone in her voice. “Father Basil, could you stop by this afternoon, please? I really do need to talk to you. Mom and dad will be here with me. Is that okay with you, Father?”

“Sure, Mona, I can be there. Is one o’clock okay with you and your parents?”

“Let me check, Father. Just a minute, please.”

“Sure,” responded the priest.

“They both said that’ll be a perfect time. Thank you, Father. I’ll see you then. Bye.”

It didn’t take long for the priest to find out the reason why Mona wanted to talk with him. As the Garrett family sat facing each other in the spacious living room, Mona shared the information she and her family had received from her doctors. “Father, the doctors I went to tell me and my family that I have about a year or less to live.” Although the mood was somber, Mona seemed calm. “Well, Father, I’m goin’ home soon.”

“Mona, I’m so sorry to…” but before the priest could finish, Mona interrupted.

“Father, please, don’t be. Yes, I cried at first. But this is the third doctor that has said the same thing as the other two. I have a rare form of bone cancer that is beyond treatment. I know this will sound weird to you, Father, but the Lord has been really good to me. He has given me two great parents, a great brother and sister, and lots and lots of great friends! I’m ready to be with my Father in heaven now whenever He calls me.”

“You are amazing, Mona,” said the priest as he held her hand.

“Father, I called you because I also want to talk to you about my funeral. Since this morning, I’ve thought I’d like to have this white rosary in my right hand and my cup in my left hand.”

“A cup?” Father Basil thought he had heard everything but this request caught him by surprise. “Why do you want a cup, Mona?”

“I thought about all of the religious education classes, dinner and get togethers where we drank hot chocolate. I couldn’t begin to count them all. But we kids had a great time followed by cookies, cakes, brownies, pies AND a cup of hot chocolate! When I had that cup of hot chocolate, I knew the best was about to come—the goodies! Father, when people come to see me in my beautiful red dress, they will see my rosy cup and remember all the great times we had together as friends. And when they see my cup and want to know why a cup, I’d like you to tell them, Father, that I kept my cup because the best is yet to come!”

Mona went home to be with her Father on Christmas Day just as the sun rose in the eastern Oklahoma sky.

“Mona, welcome! Did you bring your cup?” said the Lord.

“Oh, my! I didn’t think you could bring anything with you,’ responded Mona.

“Al things are possible with Me,” said the Lord. “Now come with Me, faithful servant! See the place I have prepared for you! …And let’s have some hot chocolate!!!”

Meanwhile, back on earth, Mona’s funeral was held on December 28th. As the casket passed by on its way to its final resting place, many swore they could smell the aroma of chocolate—the sweetest chocolate smell they had ever known! Their immediate response was: “Praise be to Christ the Everlasting King and everlasting happiness to Mona greatest friend on this fourth day of Christmas!”

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