Magyar Egyház, 1983 (62. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1983-11-01 / 5. szám
6. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ CHRISTMAS IN THE LAKESIDE INN A Christmas Story by Andrew Harsanyi I want to tell the story of a man who — at first — missed Christmas. How did I get this story? I really don’t know. One evening, reading the Bible as I would before going to bed, I got to the passage in Mark’s Gospel when Jesus, one night close to daybreak, walked to his frightened disciples on the Lake of Gennesareth, calmed the wind and safely guided them to the opposite shore, near Bethsaida. As they got ashore, Jesus was recognized right away and, as Mark recorded is his narrative, the people scoured that whole countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to a place where he was reported to be and begged him to let them simply touch the edge of his cloak; and all who touched him were cured. I read the story this far. Then I stopped to think: I wondered who were all these sick people that were brought to Jesus. It was pretty late and I am not ashamed to admit that while I was thus wondering I dozed off at my desk. When I woke up and glanced at the Bible-verse where I left off and remembered what I was thinking about I suddenly knew the story of one man who had been so eager to touch the edge of Jesus’ cloak. To be honest I still don’t know whether I had read that story, a legend, somewhere or I just dreamed it when I was asleep. Anyway, here is the story of Lael, the man who missed the first Christmas. On the road to Bethsaida there was an inn. Just like the many other inns of the land: a large quadrangular court, with a well in the center and rooms around the sides where travellers could spread out their mats on the stone floor. There were also rooms for the caravans to store their goods and stalls for their animals. Unlike other inns, in this one travellers were able to buy food for themselves and fodder for their animals. This is why on this particular morning Disciple Andrew — it was his turn — came to the inn to buy some fish and bread for his Master and for his companions. The servant of the innkeeper whom he asked was inquisitive: “You say for thirteen persons you need food.” — “Yes.” — “Who are they? Romans? My master would not sell anything to Romans.” — “No, we are Galileans.” — “Oh. What’s the name of your master?” — “What difference does that make?” — “Never mind. If you want food, tell your master’s name.” — “His name is Jesus of Nazareth, the Teacher.” — “All right. I’ll see what I can do for you.” The servant came back soon, quite excited. “You must come with me, inside.” — “Do I get the food?” — asked Andrew somewhat impatiently. — “We are in a hurry.” — “You must come with me, inside” — the servant insisted. In they went, upstairs to a spacious room. The sun was brightly shining through the window-opening. The only person in the room was an old man lying on a rich carpet. He looked pale and weak but his voice was excited: “Are you one of his men?” Andrew did not understand why ,the old man was so excited. “Yes, I am with Jesus, the Teacher. Please, let us have some fish and bread. I can pay for it.” — “That’s not the question. The innkeeper is my son. You shall have all the food you want. But...” — “But what?” — Andrew spoke somewhat irritated because of the delay. — “You must tell me first” — the old man was gasping after breath — “you must tell me first: is your master from Nazareth?” — “Yes, he used to be a carpenter there. The family still owns the business, his younger brothers, you know...” — “Yes, I understand. But he wasn’t born there, was he?” — “No, but why do you ask all this? What does his place of birth have to do with the fish and bread I want to pay for?” — “Never mind the food and never mind the money. Just tell me this: was he born in Bethlehem?” — “Yes, I guess so” — said Andrew quite perplexed. — “You only guess so?” — “No. Well, he was born in Bethlehem. But what of it? He is Galilean if this is what you want to know.” — The old man pressed further: “And there was a beautiful star shining on the night of his birth. And it stopped over a stable. Was it so?” — Andrew answered somewhat pensively: “Yes. So it was. Mary, the Master’s mother used to tell us all about it. He was born in a stable.” Andrew seemed to recall the story Mary told them more than once about the cold night years back when she and her husband, Joseph, had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to comply with the Governor’s conscription order. The old man poked at Andrew with his stick: “Tell me more about it. Tell me all you know.” The old man’s voice was hoarse and trembling: “Do you know why your master had to be born in a stable?” — Andrew told him what he had heard from Mary: “Well, the inn was crowded, there was no more room for them.” — The old man’s hoarse voice suddenly became screeching: “That isn’t true! It just isn’t true! There were still rooms free when they came.” Andrew did not know what was the matter with the old man. He shrugged his shoulders: “I don’t know about that. I only know that the innkeeper was very gracious to them and let them stay in the stable; he even sent a servant to help them settle down there; they were so helpless and the baby was born that very night.” The old man forced himself up and grabbed Andrew’s cloak: “The innkeeper gracious? He was greedy, that’s what he was. He was a miserable crook ...” — Andrew was taken aback: “I don’t know anything about that. I only know what Mother Mary told us.” The old man’s hold on Andrew was firm: “Do you know who I am?” — “No.” — “I am Lael. I am the innkeeper who did not let them have a room in my precious inn. Do you hear me? I am the gracious innkeeper — that was what you said I was, right?” The old man’s words became flustered, he was gasping as he spoke: “Yeah, the gracious innkeeper Let me tell you the truth. You see, there were these two young people. One measly donkey. And a pregnant girl. No luggage, no servant. They did not look good for an hour’s rent, not for a day’s, mind you. What? A day? If the woman should be delivered in my room they would not get out from there for at least a week. What a mess. Now, I was a businessman. I just could not afford it. You don’t get many golden opportunities like that registration business ordered by the Governor.” The old man was quite exhausted from talking. Andrew asked quietly: “But Mary said there was no free room.” — “Not true. I had vacant rooms, more than one. I didn’t have any for them. I lied. Had I wanted I could have given them our own room. In busy season it had happened that I and my wife went to sleep in the stable. I had vacant rooms but I saved them for well paying customers not for penniless young people expecting a child.” There was silence. Then Andrew said: “And what then, Lael?” — “Then? One of my servants begged me to give them some shelter. I was busy and nervous so just to get rid of them I told the servant to find them a place in one of the stables. I was glad to have them out of my sight... And
