A medieval legend tells us that in the country we know today as Austria the Burkhard family – a man, a woman and a child – used to amuse people at Christmas parties by reciting poetry, singing ancient troubadour ballads, and juggling. Of course, there was never any money left over to buy presents, but the man always told his son:
“Do you know why Santa Claus’s bag never gets empty, although there are so many children in the world? Because it may be full of toys, but sometimes there are more important things to be delivered, what we call “invisible gifts”. In a broken home, he tries to bring harmony and peace on the holiest night in Christianity. Where love is lacking, he deposits a seed of faith in children’s hearts. Where the future seems black and uncertain, he brings hope. In our case, the day after Father Christmas comes to visit us, we are happy to be still alive and doing our work, which is to make people happy. Never forget that.”
Time passed, the boy grew up, and one day the family passed in front of the impressive Melk Abbey, which had just been built.
“Father, do you remember many years ago you told me the story of Santa Claus and his invisible gifts? I think that I received one of those gifts once: the vocation to become a priest. Would you mind if now I took my first step towards what I have always dreamed of?”
Although they really needed their son’s company, the family understood and respected the boy’s wish. They knocked at the door of the monastery and were given a loving, generous welcome by the monks, who accepted the young Buckhard as a novice.
Christmas Eve came around. And precisely on that day, a special miracle happened in Melk: Our Lady, carrying the baby Jesus in her arms, decided to descend to Earth to visit the monastery.
All the priests lined up and each of them stood proudly before the Virgin trying to pay homage to the Madonna and her Son. One of them displayed the beautiful paintings that decorated the place, another showed a copy of a Bible that had taken a hundred years to be written and illustrated, while a third recited the names of all the saints.
At the very end of the line, young Buckhard anxiously waited his turn. His parents were simple people, and all that they had taught him was to toss balls up in the air and do some juggling.
When it came his turn, the other priests wanted to put an end to all the homage that had been paid, since the ex-juggler had nothing important to add and might even mar the image of the abbey.
Nevertheless, deep in his heart he also felt a great need to give something of himself to Jesus and the Virgin. Feeling very ashamed before the reproachful gaze of his brothers, he took some oranges from his pocket and began to toss them in the air and catch them in his hands, creating a beautiful circle in the air just as he used to do when he and his family traveled to all the fairs in the region.
At that instant, the baby Jesus, lying in Our Lady’s lap, began to clap his hands with joy. And it was to young Buckhard that the Virgin held out her arms to let him hold the smiling child for a few moments.
The legend ends by saying that on account of this miracle, every two hundred years a new Buckhard knocks on the door of Melk Abbey, is welcomed in, and for the whole time he remains there he warms the hearts of all who meet him.
tags technorati : Technorati Paulo Coelho Paulo Coehlo Warrior of Light Warrior of the Light Newsletter
–Por mi culpa –era el viejo de la silla de ruedas el que hablaba–. Durante toda mi vida he intentado darle educación a mi hijo para que aprendiese caligrafía, para que fuese uno de los escribas del palacio. Sin embargo, los años pasaban y no volvieron a ofertarse nuevas plazas. Hasta que anoche tuve un sueño estúpido: un ángel aparecía y me pedía que comprara una copa de plata, ya que el rey iba a venir a visitarme, a beber un poco y a conseguir un empleo para mi hijo.
–Éste es el tema de la disertación –dijo–: ¿Por qué un anciano llora, una mujer calva baila y un muchacho triste canta?
Un murmullo de asombro recorrió la sala: ¡nadie sabía contar una historia como ésa! Nadie, salvo un joven con ropa humilde, sentado en un rincón de la sala, que sonrió y empezó a escribir.
OK ! thanks for elaborating !
well aditya,
We have all had experiences, were, things seem slightly beyond a 3 dimensional field, we even have saying for these occurences such as speak of the devil, when you are talking about someone and they just…turn up !
I have had many feeling like this, seen things in dreams that have happened a near in the future as the next day, said to myself, what the most unlikely thing to happen would be and then it happening.
When I read this, I feel that the story in not yet finished, something is missing and it will be fulfilled in the future but when is the question, its like a book without an ending, the last chapter shall be written, but when and were is unknown, to no one but the writer.
This story Paulo had shared earlier also on this website only I think… It is nicely summed up by Gauri.
U know what i like most about this site, why I visit it so often. I ‘meet’ people who have not yet given up, and that gives me strength to carry on. much like ‘however arduous may a task be, if a group of people do it out of choice, nicely, the atmosphere livens up’ I wonder if u have had any expereince of such group efforts, in such situations 1+1 adds up to 11. Yagna’s ‘everyday christmas’ becomes a reality.
Yagna, probably because u r an indian u know Aditya as a male name, for foreign names I too have difficulty decipehring the gender just by name. I am very happy that u love my name, U’r name means ….. oh I cannot tranlate into english what Yagna means, although i know it.
Tom !!
U have made me curious ! most of the ‘fables’ have many layers of meaning, this one too may mean ‘more than meets the eye’ if u may, give it a shot, what is it !!
aditya
PS : how do u like the new look blog.
beautiful…
there’s an urdu couplet which I love a lot..
It goes something like this:
‘The road to the masjid is too far,
Why not just attempt to bring a smile on a crying child’s face?’
Hi Mr. Paulo Coelho, I have always love your books and insights about things. I am so glad to find your myspace account as well as your website. I wish to wish you a merry X’mas ( thou it is a bit late ) and a new year ahead.
Becky.
For some reason I feel as if theres something more to this story than meets the eye…
Dearest Paulo and friends
Hmmm.. A Christmas tale
i don’t know why i have such uplifting feeling.. I guess thats what i love most about Christmas.. Everyone knows its miracle time.. Its joyous time.. We should live like everyday is Christmas! I think everyone would be far more happier! 
i love it
i wish you all have an amazing Christmas filled with love, laughter and joy. Today is a happy day. You know, actually i just got back from a really long evening, to cut a long story short, i was witness to some rather unpleasant, unforeseen circumstances.. But at the end of it all, no one was hurt, and i’m.. Happy.. I just happy
Aditya, i wonder why people think your female.. Lol.. I personally always knew your a male.. Just so you know
lol.. I love your name 
i first heard it in an indian movie, kuch ka na ho, i think it was called.. With abishek and ashwariya 
her little son’s name was aditya in the movie 
his so cute.. If i remember correctly, your name is sanskit, meaning the sun… lord of the sun.. Or something like that 
Its really lovely 
debs.. Have you been to the doctor? I think you should go and check your heart out as soon as possible- go to a cardiologist, because with technology today, you can prevent a heart attack and prolong your life for many years. After all, you only going to live once and might as well make the best of it. You may not be afraid of death and maybe even tired of life now, but your opinion of that may change after some time, and you may end up regrettin not having checked yourself out now. So do go visiting to a doc
i think honestly, that you’l never die if you were ment to do something, or do this or do that, i believe you will die when you are supposed to, with the perfect timing, like everything in life. So don’t worry that you’l die without completely what your supposed to.. I don’t think anyone can do that. Mwah.
On a more lighter note.. Happy holidays!
Thank you for being
Yajna