I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day//a short story

Here's a short Christmas story inspired by the song 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day'. I wrote it three years ago. Hope you enjoy ;)))

stocksnap

The snow made a crackling noise beneath his feet. He pulled his hood over his head and buried his hands deep down inside his pockets. This was the coldest day so far, this winter. Christmas time was quite evident. There were decorations and lights up in every storefront. He paused a moment to listen to a group of carolers.

“Peace on earth!” they sang. He scowled. A little boy’s eyes met his.

“Mawwy Chwismuth, Mithta!”

He grinned down at the boy then walked away. He wasn’t sure where he was going, he only knew he had to sort through his thoughts. When he came to a bench in a park he sat down. He buried his head in his hands.

A moment later, he heard someone walk through the snow then sit down at the other end of the bench. That was followed by a man coughing. A hand on the young man’s shoulder startled him and he looked up. He faced an old man with a cane, a worn out jacket and a jolly face. The older man stuck his hand out.

“The name’s Ed Turner. What’s yours?”

For a moment the young man just stared. He was momentarily confused by the elder man’s friendliness. He wearily shook Ed’s hand.

“Liam.” Ed gave him a questioning glance, “Liam Anderson.”

“Ah.” Ed sighed. He put both hands behind his head, leaned back and closed his eyes.

Silence. Liam was sure his new acquaintance had forgotten he was sitting there. He assumed the conversation had come to an end. He felt a little disappointed. Maybe he was lonely. Maybe he needed someone to talk to. Looking around the park he saw a young mother carrying a grocery bag and leading her little girl down the street. On the other side of the park was a man with a worn-out blanket wrapped around him pushing a cart in which his few belongings lay. Snow covered almost everything. He heard sirens in the distance.

“Tell me about yourself, Liam.” The young man jerked around to face Ed, once again. The older man continued, “Are you a college student? Do you work?”

Liam rubbed his hands together and sighed. "College student. I write for the newspaper on the side. It’s a hard job. I can hardly find any good news to write about. What about you? What do you do?”

Ed picked up a Bible that had been sitting on the bench beside him, “I just do whatever the good Lord asks me to.” He set the Bible back down, “Now tell me, Liam, how are you enjoying this glorious Christmas season?”

Liam grimaced, “Do you want the truth?”

Ed leaned back and closed his eyes, “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.”

Liam laughed for the first time that day.

Ed opened his eyes and turned towards Liam, “No, really. It’s in the Bible. Proverbs 24:26.”
Liam quieted his laughter down for a moment. “I figured so. But isn’t there a better way to word it? I don’t know…”

Ed smiled. “Now what did you want the wise men of the old days to say? An honest answer is like a fist bump? Or maybe, to receive an honest answer is like receiving a free Venti non-fat frappuccino with extra whipped cream and chocolate sauce? You tell me! You’re the writer.”

They both laughed. People walking past looked towards them curiously hoping to figure out what the joke was.

Once the laughter had dissipated Liam spoke, “Alright, then. The truth.” He sighed, “No. I’m not enjoying this Christmas season. In fact, I wish it would all be over already.”

Ed’s face showed surprise although Liam sensed he had already known somehow. “Why aren’t you enjoying it?”

A cloud partially covered the sun and it got colder.

Liam turned away for a moment. When he faced Ed again there were tears in his eyes and his voice was shaky. “It’s this time of year that people speak of peace on earth. What peace? I don’t see or feel it. People die every day because of acts of hatred. War, mass shootings, gang fights… many of the victims are innocent men, women, and children.”

Ed thought for a moment before he replied, “Humans are sinful. They turned away from God way back in the garden of Eden. Even now they continue to rebel against God’s commandments. Death and hatred are some of the consequences.” Ed put a hand on Liam’s back, “but that’s not the real thing that has you down this Christmas.”

It startled Liam since Ed had stated this as a fact although Liam wasn’t sure how he could have known.

Liam looked up at the sky and tried to hold back his tears. He didn’t face Ed but he began to speak. “if God loves us, why do people die of illnesses and diseases? Stuff like-” he took a deep breath and stuck his hands in his jacket pockets, “like cancer.”

“Liam.” Ed waited until the distraught young man turned to face him, “Let’s talk about your sister. Alice.”

Liam jumped up off the bench in surprise. “Who are you and what do you know about my sister?” He had raised his voice.

“Have a seat,” Ed said, calmly.

Not sure why he trusted this man, Liam sat back down.

Ed leaned in towards Liam. “I’m an angel.” He whispered then leaned back again.

Liam’s face went pale and he was silent in shock. Somehow, he felt it must be true.

Ed chuckled, “You do believe God sends angels down to earth, right?”

“Hebrews 13:2*,” Liam muttered. “That was one of Alice’s favorite Bible verses.” He turned towards the angel. Tears were freely flowing now. He sniffed. “She- she always dreamed of meeting an angel on earth.”

“Liam,” the angel said, “She did.”

“You mean, you?” Liam asked.

Ed chuckled again, “We had pleasant conversations on a couple of occasions. Once when she was a little girl, once when she was in the hospital. I didn’t let her know I was an angel while she was here on earth. She knows now. I could tell from the first time I met her when she was young that the most important part of her life to her, was her relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Liam bit his lip in an attempt to keep the flood of tears back. Flashbacks of Alice went through his mind. He thought of a time when Alice, him and their three other siblings had run through a field of flowers, laughing and yelling the whole time. He pictured her sweet innocent face framed by her wild and curly hair. She was sixteen then. It had been the fall after that his family found out she had thyroid cancer. About a year later, around Christmas time, she had gone to be with Jesus. It had been exactly a year since she left. Liam supposed that was why he was talking a walk in the heart of the city pondering all the bad things that happen in life on earth.

Liam had been staring off into space but now he turned back towards the angel.

“I still don’t understand why God would rip my precious little sister from my life.”

“After you just listed some of the terrible things that happen here on earth, wouldn’t you agree that Alice is happier now than she was here on earth?”

Liam nodded.

“Do you expect to see her again?”

Liam stuttered, “Yes.”

Ed continued, “Why do you have this hope of seeing Alice again?”

“Well…” Liam thought for a moment, “Because I know she trusted in Jesus and is in heaven now. As for me, I may have doubts but I know deep down inside that I do believe in God. I know I want to follow him.”

“There ya go!” Ed exclaimed and patted Liam on the back. “Alice and I will be at that blessed gate eager to meet you when you come.”

Although Liam was still sad, he smiled at that thought.

“Now tell me, Liam. If Jesus hadn’t come down on earth as a little baby boy then grown up and died on the cross for yours and Alice’s and everybody else’s sins, would you still have this hope of seeing Alice again? Would you have any hope of a wonderful eternal life?”

Liam shook his head, “No.”

“Now you see, terrible things may happen in this life, but if you believe in and trust Jesus Christ you can look forward to a joyful eternity. And that’s how, amidst the hatred, war, killing and terrible sicknesses, you can have peace in your heart while still on this earth. Peace on earth.”

Liam looked up at Ed, “Thank you.”

Ed smiled, “Don’t thank me. Thank the good Lord above who sent me.”

Liam smiled, there were still tears in his eyes.

“Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong to be sad. It’s okay to miss someone you dearly loved. Just remember, there is peace on earth for those who know they’re going to spend eternity in heaven.”
Ed got up from the bench and began to slowly hobble away with his cane.

“Merry Christmas, Liam!” He called over his shoulder, “Peace on earth.”

Liam replied, ‘Merry Christmas.”

The angel turned around, smiled, then vanished.


 *Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2