From Richard Irwin December 2008
Two Small Angels
I do not know very much about angels as I do not think I have ever met one, but here is a story about two very small angels and what they did on the first Christmas night.
There were many visits from heaven to earth in the olden days, and I expect that there still are, but normally a single angel, or at the most two or three, would be sent with a message for someone special – like the Angel Gabriel who visited Mary and told her she was going to be the mother of Jesus. But this night was different; there was a hustle and bustle everywhere in heaven. The mighty Seraphim carefully preening their six pairs of wings so they shone like silver moonlight. The wise Cherubim were in a right tiss trying to form the ranks of a mighty throng. The Thrones and Dominations, Hosts and Powers were forming up in their places and the lesser angels were trying to keep out of the way. Tonight was a very special night and everyone knew it.
“You two!” commanded one of the Archangels to two very small cherubs – “Come here, I have a job for you!” The two small angels felt the love of God in the voice of the Archangel and immediately flew to his side to see what was to be done. “Right now, we need to tell mankind some very important news and I am personally leading the hosts and the throngs down from heaven to deliver it.” It’s not like we normally do, you know a quiet word with someone special. Tonight we’ve got trumpets and choirs and the whole lot of us thronging the sky so everyone is going to notice! Got that?”
“What news?” asked one of the Cherubs?
“What news?” exclaimed the Archangel. “Why you woolly cloud heads, it’s the best news. The Son of God is to be born tonight and he is come to save all mankind. Haven’t you been listening to what’s been going on? We need to tell people so that they can come and worship him.”
The two cherubs shook their heads with wonder. “What shall we do?” they chimed.
“Go down to earth and find out who’s awake and then come and find us and we will tell them the news. You better make sure you find some really important people, because this is a really important occasion and we don’t want people to miss it.”
So the two Cherubs flew down to the earth and flew to the land of Judea where Jesus the Son of God was to be born. They flew to the King’s palace, but the king had drunk too much wine and was snoring soundly in his sleep and all his courtiers likewise. They flew to the Temples and the Synagogues, but the prayers had long finished and the priests and the scribes had all gone home to bed on this dark cold night. All the important people seemed to be asleep.
They flew to the farthest east and there found some wise men in deep discussion about the bright star they had seen in the sky. “Come!” whispered the two Cherubs into their ears “A new King is born in Bethlehem!” and the wise men heard and started to get ready to follow the star and find the King, but they needed a night’s rest before they could set out on the long journey.
The two Cherub’s were becoming worried. Who was the Archangel to tell the good news to? They flew to where the star lay over the town of Bethlehem. They flew to the mayor’s house, they flew to the crowded Inns, but there too everyone was tucked up in their warm beds and no one saw the two Angels. All the important people were asleep – there was no one important for the Archangel to give his news to.
“Where is the Son of God to be born?” asked one Cherub. “Let’s find him.” Said the other and they flew around Bethlehem until they saw a light in a stable. Instead of palace, instead of in luxury, the Son of God was to be born in a bed of straw surrounded by animals. There was a donkey and some cattle and some sheep. Silently they watched as Joseph helped Mary prepare to bring Jesus into the world.
The donkey, who was a wise beast, raised his right ear to signal to the two Cherubs that he wanted to talk and they went to listen to what he had to say. “I am a beast of burden,” said the donkey “but for the last few days I have been very important because I carried the Lord my God and his mother on my back.”
Then one of the cows said “Little cherubs, I eat grass and give milk and the milk I give will strengthen Mary and Joseph so they can look after the Lord my God. How important am I?”
Then one of the sheep said “I have given wool for my Lord’s bed to help keep the Son of God warm in the dark bleak winter’s night. I too am important and so are those who look after us, because, if the shepherds did not do so, there would be no wool to help warm the Child.”
The two cherubs looked into each other’s eyes and both knew they had the answer as to who would hear the news from the Archangel and they flew over the fields and hills to find the shepherds’ farm. There the shepherds sat around their fire with their sheep safely about them. They protected them from the cold and from the wolves and the bears who might otherwise attack. Once they knew where the shepherds were, the two small Angels flew back to heaven and found the Archangel.
“We have found them! The really important people!” they cried. They sit on the bleak hillside by their fire.
“What manner of people are they?” asked the Archangel.
“Shepherds.” They said.
“Indeed a good choice,” said the Archangel “for the Son of God who is born in a stable this very night will become the Shepherd of Men. Even the lowliest of people are really important in God’s eye.”
Then lead by the Archangel lead forth the mighty throng of thousands of angels. The heavenly host flew down from heaven singing “Gloria in excelsis Deo.” Can you imagine the fantastic sight? Can you imagine the heavenly music?
“Glory to God on high.” The Archangel said to the startled shepherds, “Good news I bring to you and all mankind!”
And the rest, as they say, is history! See other articles published in the God Slot
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