Gospel

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Fall on your
knees!
O, hear
the angels'
voices!
(Song lyrics: O Holy Night/
Cantique de Noel;
Placide Cappeau, 1847.)
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"The music's
so pretty,
Lord."

[NOD.]

"I think that's
what I always liked
about Christmas:
the MUSIC."

[SMILE.]
[NOD.]

"I mean.....MY
religion had candy,
and presents, and
stuff, too."

[NOD.]

"WELL.....
not as MUCH!"

[CHUCKLE.]

"But, that wasn't it.
(Squinty pondering.)
I mean, I think it was
such a pretty, ROMANTIC
story. And, I've always been
a romantic, dreamy sort'a
person.........Ya know?"

[SMILE!]

"Yeah; it's never
DONE much for me,
HUH?"

"What,
child?"

"Are You LISTENING,
LORD?"
(Impatient frown!)
"My dreaminess!
MY DREAMINESS!"

[SMILE.]
"Ah, yes.
[NOD.]
Go on."

(Impatient squirm!)
(Dreamy gaze.)
"Well......on the Christmas cards,
I'd always see the young
mother, and Joseph, and
the angels, and the
Wise Men, and the camels....
and the sparkly presents......"

[PATIENT NOD.]

".....and, the sheep, and
donkeys, and the hay,
and the angels.....and,
the sheperds and all...."

[PATIENTLY NODDING.]
[WATCHING THE EARTH
TURN ON ITS AXIS.]

"....and, the big Star in
the twinkly sky, and
the pretty night, and...."

"Yes, child?"

"And, the Baby in the Manger."
(Squint.)
"It's just really PRETTY."

[PATIENT NOD.]
[LISTEN TO A BIRD CHIRPING
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE TIME ZONE.]

(Far-off gaze.)
"The thing is.......it's a real
pretty, romantic story in
MODERN times, but....."

"Yes,
My precious?"

(Thoughtful squint.)
"But, what about in....
Ya know: just after
A.D. TIMES? It
COULDN'T have been
a very ROMANTIC
story, back THEN."

"No,
My child."

"Yeah; from what
I hear, CAMELS aren't
really that ROMANTIC....
at ALL!"

[CHUCKLE.]

(Smile!)
"Well, yeah......so,
how did it LAST?
The STORY,
I mean?"

[SILENCE.]

(Philosophical shrug.)
"Heck, I'm surprised it
even lasted a couple
years!"

[GENTLE SMILE.]
"I'm not."
**************************
And she
gave birth
to her first-born son
and wrapped him
in swaddling-cloths,
and laid him
in a manger,
because there was no
place
for them
in the
inn.
[Luke 2:7]

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