The

Christmas Donkey

Abp. Leslie "Mary" Trombly

This story takes place a very long time ago in a faraway land known today as Israel. It was the year that King Herod was in rule and Caesar Agustus ordered a census (Counting of the people in his kingdom). He ordered every person to return to their place of birth and be counted there..

It just so happened that there was a very special couple that had to also return to the husband's hometown of Bethlehem. The wife's name was Mary and she was very Special! You see, God had chosen her to help bring His Son into the world. An angel by the name of Gabriel was sent to a young girl by the name of Mary.

The Lord God found in her something very special and to be the purest of soul in all of Israel. He chose her to be the earthly mother of His son and He chose Joseph, the carpenter, to be the earthly father. After much doubt and question about Mary's purity, an angel appeared to Joseph and assured him that what Mary had told him was the truth and he was chosen by God to be her husband, they were married.

Meanwhile in another village not too far from where Joseph and Mary were there was a stable of animals owned by a friend of Joseph's. There were camels, lambs,cows and donkeys. One of the donkey's name was Jasper. He was the littlest of the donkeys and all the other donkeys made fun of him. Jasper , however small he was, had a lot of spunk and spirit....let alone determination! Yet he was the humblest of all the donkeys. He took their picking on him and calling him names like"Shorty" or "midget" in good humor and would always tell them that someday he was going to do something very special and no other donkey or animal would ever be able to do what he was going to do. He had no idea how true his donkey words would be! Little did he also realize that one of his grandchildren would do something just as special 33 years later .

After the degree of Caesar Agustus went out ordering a census of the people of his kingdom, Joseph, knowing that he had to return to his birthplace of Bethlehem, went to see his friend about a donkey for travel. His friend, Simeon, greeted him with a hug and asked him what he was doing there instead of being in Bethlehem. Joseph told Simeon that he was getting ready to travel there for the census but he needed a donkey; a very special donkey that was gentle of nature and spirit. The donkey he chose would be carrying very special cargo.

Simeon asked Joseph, "What kind of cargo is so special that it requires that kind of donkey?" Joseph replied, "My wife and she is with child. That is why I require a gentle donkey for the long journey to Bethlehem." "Well then", said Simeon, "Let us go and find that special donkey!"

As they approached the stable where all the animals were, the animals were talking about who would Joseph pick to carry the precious cargo . Schahaid, the elder, camel had heard the conversation between Joseph and Simeon , then told the animals what he had heard. Soon all the donkeys were primping and boasting as to why they would be chosen to carry the special cargo to Bethlehem. Cornelius, the oldest of the donkeys said, "I am the strongest and my walk is gentle. He will pick me!" "No He won't, said Shalamar. "He will pick me because I am a Woman and I understand the things of a woman.". On and on they discussed who would be chosen to carry the precious and special cargo, all the while Jasper just stood by and prayed that God would chose the best one for the job.

"Quiet everyone!" said Simeon. "My friend Joseph is here to select one of you donkeys for a special mission. One of you will be selected to carry Mary, His wife, on the long Journey to Bethlehem and I want you on your best behavior!", he continued. Joseph chuckled and the donkeys stood there all proud and straight while the other animals looked on. Joseph walked up and down the row of donkeys and just couldn't seem to find the right one. He turned to Simeon and said,"Is this all of them?" Simeon, said that there was one more; but he was sure that the last one would not be suited for the task. Joseph said, "Show him to me and I will decide for myself". So Simeon brought Joseph to where Jasper was and it was love at first sight ! "Perfect!" said Joseph, "Absolutely perfect!" Jasper couldn't believe what his donkey ears just heard! "Me?", he thought, "you want me? I am too small and no one ever wants me!"

The animals in the stable were awestruck and amazed! Could Jasper have been right in what he said about doing something special in his life that no one else could ever do again? They were left to ponder that as Simeon tried to persuade Joseph to pick another, but Joseph refused. Simeon said that Jasper was too small to carry such a heavy load; but Joseph told him that this is what the Lord chose for me and I knew it when I saw him. Joseph paid Simeon for Jasper and off they went.

Joseph walked and Mary rode on Jasper and Jasper couldn't have been more happier. He never complained about how heavy Mary was with the load of supplies he had to carry as well. He just knew this was what he was meant for and what God had made him for. He walked with his load on His back as if he were floating on air and not once did he jounce or cause any discomfort to the precious cargo that he was carrying....no matter how tired he got. He was too happy and overjoyed to think about that!

When they finally got to Bethlehem, Joseph gave an accounting of his household to the census taker and went to look for a place of rest for him and Mary. They went from place to place, only to find there was no room for them. Finally they went to the last inn in Bethlehem and the innkeeper told them, "Go away! There is no room at this inn for you!" "Please", Joseph said, "My wife is about to give birth. Any place you have will do." The innkeeper thought for a moment and finally said, "Well I do have a stable up there on the hillside that you can use, but you will have to clean it up first." Joseph agreed and asked how much for the use of the stable. The innkeeper said that if he cleaned it up he could use it for free. So the bargain was struck and the innkeeper lead him to the stable.

Joseph gently lifted Mary off Jasper's back and helped her to sit down on a rock until he had cleaned the stable. He unloaded Jasper and told Jasper to watch over Mary while he cleaned the stable for them. Joseph scurried about the stable cleaning it up and making a clean and warm place for Mary and for Jasper, while the innkeeper's lambs and cows watched in awe. Mary gave birth to a son by the light of the moon and a big bright star that seemed to hang over the stable and no place else, All the animals in the stable were in awe and in reverence of this child that Joseph and Mary laid in a manger of hay.

The lambs started talking, the cows started talking and Jasper wondered what they were talking about. As if by some unseen miracle, Jasper began to understand what all the commotion was about. This is God's son! This is the special task that I was meant for. With that joy and happiness in his heart and soul, Jasper laid down and went to sleep knowing that what ever God had planned for the rest of his life it would be just as special and joyful as this was.

The next morning the other donkey were chattering so loue it woke Jasper. When he stood up and saw everyone staring at him. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Why are you looking at me so strangely?" Cornelius, the eldest of the donkeys, was the first to speak. You have a mark on your back and it is so strange. It wasn't there last night when you and your owners stopped by for a visit." Jasper asked, "What is it? Well it has a long line going from your head to your tail anhen it has another line going from one shoulder to the other. It looks like the cross that they hang people on but this one is white. Jasper was very upset and ran out of the barn. "What was this thing and why did he have it?", he thought. Just then he heard a voice come from the sky. The voice said, "Jasper, I am your creator and my name is God. I gave you that mark as a gift for carrying my son and not complaining. For that I have given you and all your generations to come, a very special mark that sets you apart from all other donkeys. That mark will be a constant reminder of my son; because your grandson will carry Jesus once again, into the city of Jerusalem. He will be killed by the people who refuse to believe he is my son and that Cross on your back will be the reminder. for you it is my gift for you and your heirs forever. That signifies that I chose you and your heirs to carry out a very special task that no one else could do." That made Jasper very happy. God told him to go and tell his friends about it and that he would see him soon. With that, Jasper ran back to the barn and began telling the others what God had told him.

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