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The First Christmas
Retold by Eliane Pinheiro and Maura Hurley
Around the month of December,
children like to imagine
what happened
on the very first Christmas ever,
even before Santa Claus.
I know the story well,
for I was watching it all from above --
in the dark sky on the evening
of December 24th,
oh so many years ago.
I am the Star of Bethlehem.
I was requested by angels
to shine brighter than
all the other stars that night,
to tell the whole world
to tell the whole world
that a very special child
had been born
to spread goodwill and peace.
And this is the story of the first Christmas.
All was quiet that night
as I watched the Three Kings
traveling slowly on camelback
through desert lands.
Just then, I beamed brightly,
as the angels had told me to.
The Kings noticed me in the East.
They couldn’t resist my brilliance.
Perhaps they had heard
that a star like me was going to show the way
to the son of God.
Traveling through the night,
the Kings met shepherds
watching over their flock.
“We are following that incredibly beautiful star
there in the East, to find the place
where the son of God
has just been born.”
From there
they all traveled together,
watching me,
the brightest star in the sky.
Finally, they arrived at a small town
called Bethlehem,
and saw that I was gleaming
radiantly above the barnyard
of an Inn.
All was quiet and peaceful.
Their caravan entered the barnyard
to see the tender little baby
lying in a simple manger fluffed with hay.
Next to the baby
were Mary and Joseph,
his mother and father, and many farm animals.
The Kings offered the precious gifts
they’d carried from afar
for baby Jesus:
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The shepherds kneeled on the ground to pray;
they were grateful for the gift of love
and the purity the baby brought.
Many people offered gifts after that -
I suppose this is
why on Christmas Day,
people around the world
enjoy offering gifts as a sign of love and hope.
And they try their best
to bring happiness to others,
as Jesus did all his life.
Now I’d like to wish you a holiday season
that shines as brightly
as the Star of Bethlehem!