With hunched shoulders and a saddened face, Colin walked slowly home from school. His father’s fishing boat was due home seven days ago but because of the severe storm, it never arrived. And tonight was Christmas Eve.
Colin looked toward the lighthouse high on the hill of the little Irish fishing village. Seven days ago a strong wind had short-circuited the lighthouse wires preventing any beam of light to guide fishing boats home. As Colin entered the cottage his mother reminded him that it was almost time to light a candle for the Christ Child.
“I’m not caring much about lighting a candle, Mother,” he said. “I know, replied his mother “ I’m not caring much either, for my heart is deeply saddened, but lighting a candle is a symbol that our home and hearts are open to the Christ child, and we must never lose hope in Him.”
Colin despondently turned and with a gloomy disposition went outside to get more wood for the fire. He glanced up at the darkened lighthouse, then all of sudden an idea began to form in his mind, “maybe we can light the lighthouse the way we did before we had batteries!”
Colin dropped the wood and ran to the lighthouse.
When he arrived he began pounding on the door. “Mr. Duffy, Mr. Duffy, please come quickly!” As the old man opened the door Colin asked, “Mr. Duffy how did we light the lighthouse before we had batteries?” Mr. Duffy sadly shook his head, “We used kerosene, but it required a lot of kerosene! I’m sorry young man,” he answered, “I know your papa’s ship is lost at sea with no light to guide them home, but it has been more than 7 days and you need to understand we could never get enough kerosene to light up this lighthouse. Kerosene is very scarce this year on the island and furthermore…” Colin left before Mr. Duffy could finish his sentence, in his mind he only heard the words his mother told him, “we must never lose hope!”
Down the hill he ran back to the cottage to grab 2 large buckets and darted out the door again. He could now see candles beginning to glow in every cottage window. He knew that a candle in an Irish home on Christmas Eve meant that any one in need who came to the door would be welcomed and would be given whatever he asked!
He came to the first house. “Could you spare me but half a cup of kerosene from your lamp?” Colin went house to house asking the same question. Within an hour Colin had completely filled the 2 buckets. He carefully lugged the buckets up to the lighthouse door. Mr. Duffy answered the door and stared in disbelief at the 2 buckets of kerosene. “What manner of miracle is this?” he asked. “I’ll get more yet,” Colin shouted, as he started down the hill. “It’s early still.”
Within a short while, Colin had gathered two more buckets of kerosene. As he was carting them up the hill he saw the tower suddenly flicker with light. A great beam spread out over the valley and stretched toward the dark heart of the sea. Mr. Duffy had lighted the lamp! With the two additional buckets of kerosene, the lighthouse would radiate throughout the night.
When Colin reached home it was very late. As his mother met him at the door with an apprehensive look she inquired, “Colin, where have you been? You were not here to light your candle.” “I’ve lighted a candle, Mother, and it’s a big one!” Colin took his mother by the hand and led her to the edge of their parcel and pointed at the illuminating glow coming from the top of the hill. “Colin,” she said, “how were you ever able to accomplish such an impossible task?” “Mother,” he said, you told me not to lose hope, and I haven’t lost hope!”
They both returned to the cottage and sat by the fireplace watching the last cinder die down when all of a sudden they began to hear a commotion outside. The villagers were in the streets shouting gleefully: “The ship is coming! The ship is coming! ‘Twas the light, they say. They were but ten miles out all week after the storm, just drifting in the fog.” Colin and his mother ran outside and looked toward the harbor, it was true, there in the glow of the moon was the ship with its rigging standing out against the gray of the sea. Soon Colin’s father was safely home embracing his family. Colin’s hope and hard work led him to achieve the best Christmas miracle ever.
No comments:
Post a Comment