30 Angels

I counted about 30 angels this morning.

They didn’t look like angels though. Some of them were old and infirmed; there were a few hunched ones and well, yes, some were prettier than others. There were males and females, fat and thin.

No, they didn’t look like angels at all.

But they were there to pave the way for some Christmas spirit to descend upon some mere mortals in the lobby I was at. So I decided to keep an open mind and observe them for a bit.

Suddenly, the main door swung open and in dashed three people carrying a huge, green bush and a pot of dirty soil. Upon more careful inspection, it is revealed that the huge, green bush is actually in the shape of an inverted cone. I decided it was meant to be a Christmas tree.

The busy three set the huge, green bush-tree down but it wouldn’t stand because it had no legs. So they stuffed it into the pot of dirty soil and proceeded to tie the base around a wall so the huge, green bush-tree would stand. It did after many failed attempts.

While this was happening, the rest of the angels were preparing what looked like bags after bags of Christmas goodies. They kept them at bay, and I thought they might be preparing them in this Advent season, but holding them back from everyone, to build the atmosphere of anticipating the arrival of Baby Jesus. Perhaps that is why they were merely preparing the gifts and letting them sit on their own, with no apparent move to hand them out.

In the meantime, the busy three and some of the 30 angels had begun to decorate the huge, green bush-tree. And boy was it badly done! So they started again. And again. And again. The decorations did improve and eventually, they all agreed that the huge, green bush-tree was prettified enough.

The angels dashed around, fleeting from one place to another. Some were milling around with the mortals in that room while others exchanged thoughts and ideas with one another. Truly, they were busy!

Then more angels came and almost by instinct, or through a deeper calling from within, they started to move towards one another and organised themselves into a few neat rows. They moved without thought, prompted and encouraged by one another’s look, word and deed.

And then, it began.

The first note struck and the angels, in one unison, burst into song. It filled the entire room and while the mere mortals had been lazing on couches in that room before, they now gradually turned their attention to the life of the music being sung in one accord and seemingly in one voice.

That one voice was hardly perfect. They didn’t look like angels and neither did they sound like angels. Still, it was with one voice that the songs were sung.

The spirit that had already been hovering around descended quickly, with no hesitation. It was as if it had been there all along – well, I suppose it had – and the very first note sung was its cue to come on in and down upon all!

About 20 or more angels were singing. The rest grabbed the presents that I had thought they were holding back till Christmas.

When the families of the inmates at Changi Prison Link walked through the door into the lobby where we were after their visit to their loved ones, these remaining angels handed each family one bag – of food stuff, and an additional gift or the children present.

I watched as the families smiled broadly, some openly laughing. Some of them were taken aback and said they were not Christians. Others offered to pay for the presents.

The angels reassured them that none of this mattered. They were there to bring some Christmas cheer into their lives. They were there as witnesses of those who are anticipating Baby Jesus’ arrival during this Christmas season and to bear witness of His love for all.

The patron angel slowly made his way over to me. With his kindly eyes that contained a love and wisdom that only age can provide turned towards me, he said, it may just be a little we can do to promote harmony… it could just be a drop in the ocean, but nevertheless, the ocean is made of many drops. Perhaps we should all offer our little drops of love to remember there is more to life than just grabbing and grasping. It also includes a little caring and little touches to bear witness to our faith.

On this day, I counted about 30 angels, who may not look or sound like angels, but most definitely, were angels, from the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry who brought some of their little drops of love to the families of the inmates. For some of these families, I know, I saw a vast ocean of love welling up in their eyes.