On Christmas Eve Masha fell ill. Her forehead was hot, she had a sore throat, and her mother urgently called the doctor.
“She must stay in bed, and no festive Christmas tree,” the strict physician said.
“No Christmas tree?” Big tears started rolling down Masha’s eyes. “But tomorrow is the Nativity!”
“You must stay in bed,” she heard the doctor’s stern words once again.
Then the older siblings and grandparents came, and everyone tried to comfort Masha. “Never mind! Never mind! Be patient, you’ll get better soon.” In the evening her mother went up to Masha, gave her medicine, kissed her, and as always, said: “Good night, Mashenka. may your Guardian Angel protect you!”
It was warm and cozy in Masha’s room. The little Christmas tree shimmered with colorful garlands, decorations and a shower of shiny tinsel. Masha remembered again that she was ill: “Tomorrow everyone will gather for the Christmas party. But not me,” She sobbed once more and fell fast asleep.
Everything around was plunged into mysterious silence. Somewhere in the distance Masha heard soft singing, the sound of which was so beautiful that she raised her head a little and strained her ears. Suddenly she saw a beautiful young man in a white robe with wings behind his back.
“Who are you?” Masha whispered.
“I’m your Guardian Angel.”
“Are you really my Guardian Angel? And you’ve come down to me?”
“Yes, I have. Your mother asked me to do it. You and I will be flying now.”
“Where are we going to fly?” Masha wondered. “I’m not allowed to be outdoors. I’m ill, you know, the doctor told me to stay in bed.”
“Never mind! All kinds of miracles occur on Christmas Night! Let’s fly, and I’ll show you the sky full of stars and the Holy Land where Christ was born.”
“Are we going to Bethlehem?”
Masha knew that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was born in the faraway small town of Bethlehem over 2000 years ago.
“Will we see the shepherds, the Magi, and Righteous Joseph himself?”
“We surely will.”
The Guardian Angel covered Masha carefully with the warm colorful blanket made by her mother’s hands, and they flew out through the silently opening window. Although the Guardian Angel was gaining height smoothly and holding Masha tightly in his arms, she felt somehow uncomfortable, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“Don’t be afraid! Look!”
Masha looked down and recognized her hometown. The streets were deserted. While flying over the church, she heard the bells ringing.
“The Christmas Service is going on,” the Angel said. “Not everyone is sleeping in the town.”
The stars seemed to be sparkling very close, and it felt like you could reach them with your hand.
“Let’s take one star for my mommy,” Masha said.
“What are you saying, Masha? These stars are not toys, but real ones—Heavenly bodies created by God. They are very far away, and human beings cannot reach them.”
Somewhere below, cities, other countries, forests, lakes and then something big and bubbling—it was the Mediterranean Sea.
Mashenka dozed off again in the arms of her Guardian Angel. She woke up to the bellowing of calves and the bleating of sheep.
“Look! Here is the Holy Cave!” The Guardian Angel put Masha on the ground carefully. It was semi-darkness in the cave, and only through a hole in the wall, which served as an entrance, was light coming from a bright star. The light was falling on a Baby lying in white swaddling clothes on straw in a manger. He was of unearthly beauty, and Masha could not take her eyes off Him. She realized that it was the Divine Infant Jesus! A young, modestly dressed Woman with a blue covering on Her head was sitting next to Him. She was looking lovingly at the Baby, and Her face was also shining with unearthly beauty. “This is the Mother of God! The All-Holy Virgin Mary!” Masha thought, and her heart began to pound loudly with joy.
Masha noticed other people too, and only now could she discern them.
The closest of them was a handsome elderly man in a light-colored tunic and a long brown cloak. It was Joseph, the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos. A few shepherds were standing a little way off with their traveling staffs.
One instant, and the Guardian Angel carried Masha again. Now she was already at the threshold of a house, where she could see the Holy Family again, with three strangers in long silk robes taking gifts out of their chests—gold, frankincense and myrrh—and, after bowing, leaving them at the feet of the Divine Infant.
Masha recalled that she had seen them in a picture in her Bible for Children and even knew their names—Gaspar, Melchior and Belshazzar.
She suddenly wanted to shout their names to greet them, but the Guardian Angel, seeing her thoughts, whispered: “Don’t say anything! We must be silent now—we are in the Past!”
Mashenka understood him, nodded in agreement and only tightened her grip on her Guardian Angel’s hand.
“Maria, Mashenka!” her mother knocked on her daughter’s room. When no answer followed, she entered quickly and, approaching Masha, put her hand on her forehead anxiously. There was no fever at all! Masha woke up from the touch of her mother’s hand.
“Mama, Mama, I was in Bethlehem! A Christmas miracle happened to me! I don’t have any pain anymore! Don’t you believe me?!” She finished disappointedly.
“I do! I certainly believe you! My dear girl!” her mother said, taking Mashenka in her arms and hugging her very tightly. She really believed that something extraordinary had happened! And how could she not believe it—Mashenka was perfectly healthy!
