Hearing The Good News From The "Least" Among Us

I have a wonderful Christmas story to share this year.

A cognitively impaired young man wanted to be in a children's play at a local church. The organizers and the other children in the play didn't want to include him because he was a little too old and they "knew he would mess up."

The annual Christmas pageant was the church's big event of the year, and the church had become known in the area for their portrayal of the Nativity story. So it was with great hesitation that they let this young man participate. They decided to make him the Innkeeper so he would only have to stand in one place and say one line: "There is no room at the Inn."

The night of the play came, and the church's auditorium was filled. The moment came when Mary and Joseph knocked on the door of the Inn. The young man with special needs answered the door as he had been instructed, stood in the spot as he had been told, and recited his line. "There is no room at the Inn," he said boldly and clearly.

Mary and Joseph turned to walk away. The young man saw that Mary was weeping on Joseph's shoulder. He jumped out of his spot and ran to them.

"Wait! You can have my room," he said.

Some in the play and in the audience thought the play had been ruined that night. But others knew better.

May the peace of our Lord be with you this day. Love, Theresa