When the stable was first built, it was beautifully clean. The stable owner took pride in it. But after animals dwelt there for years, it began to look dirty. Hay was everywhere, and grime covered the walls. It smelt badly, and was unfit for anyone to enter. Eventually, the owner of the stable tired of the mess. He took a broom and started sweeping. And sweeping. And sweeping. Then he scrubbed. And scrubbed. And scrubbed. The stable was once again clean. The following evening, he spotted a lady and a man coming towards his house from a distance. The couple knocked on his door. The lady was obviously pregnant and in labor. The man (who the stable owner had found out was the husband of the lady) asked if he could use his stable as a resting place. Everyone else had turned them away. "They all said 'We have no room!' or 'We are too busy!'", the man explained. The stable owner led them towards the stable, secretly thankful that he had spent all that time cleaning it.
The next morning, the man and lady came to the front door of the stable owner's house. Their newborn son was sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms. The man thanked the stable owner profusely. His son had had a place to rest. The lady smiled at the stable owner. "His name is Jesus", she said softly. As the couple went away, the stable owner gave glory to God. The Christ-Child had found a resting place.
The End
In this story, the dirty stable represents our soul. It started out clean, but sin got in and dirtied it. We got tired of the mess in our soul, and went to work cleaning it up by the sacrament of Confession. Our soul was once again restored to beauty. There is less than one week until the coming of Jesus - will he find a clean place to come and rest?
The next morning, the man and lady came to the front door of the stable owner's house. Their newborn son was sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms. The man thanked the stable owner profusely. His son had had a place to rest. The lady smiled at the stable owner. "His name is Jesus", she said softly. As the couple went away, the stable owner gave glory to God. The Christ-Child had found a resting place.
The End
In this story, the dirty stable represents our soul. It started out clean, but sin got in and dirtied it. We got tired of the mess in our soul, and went to work cleaning it up by the sacrament of Confession. Our soul was once again restored to beauty. There is less than one week until the coming of Jesus - will he find a clean place to come and rest?