You were sitting on the hillside looking at the starry night sky when you realized how cold you were. Your fingers were numb and you couldn’t seem to warm them. But even more than the external cold, there was an interior one; it was accompanied by a sense of hopelessness, as if you would never be warm again.
Something made you stand and turn to leave the hillside. Was there heat somewhere out in the great, dark night? You were pretty sure you felt something. You walked on for you don’t know how long or in what direction. You seemed to be following a warmth that was ever so slightly perceptible. Finally, you saw a small light, like that of a distant house or maybe a campfire in the darkness. Your pace quickened at the prospect of finding relief for your frozen limbs. When you arrived at the source of the light, you were surprised and delighted to behold St. Joseph, Our Lady, and the Infant Savior, Who was lying in the manger and shedding a brilliant light and heat. A smile from Our Lady told you that she understood your desperate need for warmth. You approached the Holy Child with reverence and eagerness to thaw your hands near His crib. Much to your bewilderment, however, the glorious heat coming from the Divine Babe did nothing to warm you. If anything, you were colder still — like an ice cube unable to melt. “How is this?” the expression on your face asked the Holy Mother. “He is certainly the remedy for my frozen-ness. Why am I still cold?”
She smilingly picked up the Baby and said, “He wants you to receive Him.” You thought she was going to hand you the Baby, but she turned to Saint Joseph and placed little Jesus in his arms. She then looked at you as if to say, “Come forward and kneel.” You did not voice your perplexity, but she heard it and answered without words. “The former Joseph had rights over all grains in order to feed the world. They needed to go to Joseph if they were to eat and live. I tell you, come to this Joseph.”
You knelt down and the little Baby Himself leaned forward in the arms of Saint Joseph and placed a Host on your tongue. You closed your eyes and were going to have an interior conversation with your God and King; however, all of your attention was immediately brought back to the state of your temperature. The numb coldness in your fingers disappeared; a beautiful warmth filled you and gave you great comfort. Then, in an instant, the warmth had become too much. You felt a burning sensation, and although it did not become unbearable, it was certainly unpleasant. Frustrated again that you were not receiving what you wanted and expected, you opened your eyes and gave the Blessed Mother a look of confusion and pleading. “Why am I so hot?” you complained. “I don’t need all this heat to be warm. It’s too much, and it’s painful.”
Her response was gracious, understanding, and yet, not too sympathetic — her attitude was an encouraging one. “There are very many in the world who are also cold. You must bring His Fire to warm them. If you are hot with this Flame, then you will have warmth enough to share with others.” As she spoke these words, she showed you her Immaculate Heart and allowed you to understand something of its mystery. It was aflame with beautiful charity; undoubtedly burning hotter than you would have ever been able to survive, and yet, she suffered no discomfort. She permitted you to see that it is the disposition of a soul that determines whether the fire of divine charity causes sorrow or joy, pain or delight. “Love what He loves,” she smiled, “and He will set your heart ablaze like His.”
Long exposure photo of a campfire during the night in Agios Ioannis (Saint John) beach on the Greek island of Gavdos. Image cropped from original. Photo credit: Aggelospallikarakis, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
