A night like no other – How the angels felt
The night that Jesus was born was a night like no other. This week, Salvos Online is running a series entitled ‘Key players tell their side of the Christmas story’. Our writers are playing the roles of Mary, Joseph, the angels, the shepherds, and the wise men, and imagining the Christmas story from their perspectives.
BY MAJOR GRANT SANDERCOCK-BROWN
“It’ll never work, you know,” said Angelo. He looked sidewise at his companion. Her gaze was focused on the world below, and she didn’t respond. He cleared his throat. “I said, it’ll never work you know,” his voice a little louder.
Angelique turned to look directly at him with her golden eyes. “What will never work, Angelo?”
“This plan to save the world. I know that God doesn’t make mistakes, but I think he’s gotten it wrong this time.” He shook his head ruefully. “The son of God as a human baby? it will not work.”
INITIAL SCEPTICISM
Angelique’s gaze was unwavering as she responded evenly. “Tell me, Angelo, why won’t it work? Do you know better than our Father?” Her gaze softened, and she offered a gentle smile. “You and I are just junior angels, remember.” A twinkle appeared in her eyes. “Are you upset because you didn’t make it into the choir that sang to the shepherds?”
Angelo sniffed and lifted his chin. “No. Just because I’m young and, unlike Gabriel, don’t have a voice like a trumpet doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion.” He looked down at the scene that Angelique had been watching. The baby in the manger, the mother who couldn’t take her eyes off her baby, and the father making polite small talk with some shepherds. Angelo’s doubts rose again. “Look at them, Angelique! They’re humans. Frail and fallen.”
Her voice was sombre as she replied, “Do you think God doesn’t realise that? You think he isn’t aware of their failings? He created them. He knows each of them by name, for heaven’s sake. But that’s why he sent his son, Angelo. Because of who and what they are. They need saving!”
“I know they need saving, but that’s my point,” he replied, lifting his chin once more. “The first time I saw that Adam, I was suspicious. And Eve, well, I admit, I had more faith in her. But look what happened. I was right to be sceptical.”
THE JESUS PLAN
Angelique shook her head. “You think God couldn’t see the future, Angelo? He freed humans’ will, aware that they would choose their own way.” She focused on the manger scene once more. “But he always had a plan. And that plan was always Jesus.”
Angelo sighed. “I know you keep saying that, but that’s my point: a human Jesus doesn’t seem like much of a plan. How will it work?
Angelique’s voice softened, and her eyes shone as she focused on the baby. “He will be himself, God in their midst. He’ll grow up among them, live among them, share their humanity.” Her body started to glow, and her voice grew stronger. “He’ll show them what it means to truly live. He’ll teach them, love them, heal them, and yes, Angelo, die for them. He will offer them salvation, and his salvation will change the world.”
Still with a stubborn tilt to his chin, Angelo responded, “Change the whole world, Angelique?”
Angelique’s face now blazed as her words rang out. “Truly, he will change them with his love. His beloved will remember him and imitate him, and through them, one heart at a time, his love will fill the world. And hope will fill the world. And one day, every knee will bow before Jesus, our Father’s only son.”
Angelo, transfixed by her, was silent for a moment. And then his shoulders slumped, and he whispered, “Oh Angelique, I want it to be true, I do! But how long will a plan like this take?”
Angelique turned her still radiant smile towards him. “It will take a long time. But it will work. There’ll be more and more love; there’ll be more and more hope. And one day all the earth will know his peace. And until that day, those who love him will need to remember Jesus. They’ll need to tell his story to themselves, again and again, to never stop proclaiming it and singing it. He is the prince of peace. He’s among them right now, and the world will never be the same again.”
And as heaven watched and the echo of her voice faded, the night was silent.
