I saw Jesus.....and he was happy.

I saw Jesus happy, among the donkey and the cow in the stable, as well as the sheep that came to visit him. After 2000 years with them, he’s still not tired of being with them.

I saw Jesus happy among the shepherds. They smelled of dirty sheep wool, cow manure and straw, using a less than-edifying language, with no polite manners whatsoever. Yet Jesus was happy among them.

I saw Jesus happy to be living in a stable, dark, cold, small, humid. Yet we’re still unhappy in a warm house, air-conditioned in the summer, complete with a kitchen, living room, 3 TVs, two luxurious bathrooms with a jacuzzi, a microwave, dishwasher, swimming pool and two computers.

I saw Jesus happy to play with the shepherd’s children, running in fields, chasing the lambs, throwing stones in the lake. They were unkempt children, with runny noses, dirty fingernails, messy hair, unhealthy teeth. Yet Jesus was very happy with them.
I saw Jesus happy playing in the mud, colleting twigs and stones, building little camps and spending hours with his buddies, splashing each other with water from the creek. He had no Nintendo, no video games, no baseball bats or football helmets or hockey sticks. Yet Jesus was very happy.

I saw Jesus happy to be out in the open, in the fields, under the trees, in the mountains, by a lake, under the stars at night. And the children today say “I want to live in the city, with the machines, with the stores, with the noise, with the confusion.” Yet Jesus was happy with the simple way of life.

I saw Jesus happy when visiting friends, to talk, to pray, to eat, to drink together. No fancy Restaurants, no 4 course meals, no reservations needed. Yet he was happy to be with welcoming friends, enjoying fellowship.

I saw Jesus happy with having nothing. He was happy hanging out with his dad in his carpenter’s shop, fetching water for his mother, enjoying a quiet siesta every afternoon, without any blasting radios, racing cars whizzing by, or jumbo jets flying over. He was happy listening to the sound of nature, birds chirping, water trickling from a nearby stream, logs crackling over a fire.

I saw Jesus happy and very focused every time he prayed, at home and in the synagogue. Yet we always seem to be distracted, or find any excuse possible not to go to Church.

Let us try this Christmas to appreciate the simple things in life. Maybe if we look at things around us as Jesus did, we may start to show gratitude even for the ordinary things and events in our lives, especially those we tend to take for granted.