Zebulun, the foolish shepherd boy, approached the Nativity scene with his little dog Peque. Although he felt inferior and despised by others, the angels assured him that he had a pure heart and was full of love. “You are, because you have always had your heart with Yahweh, and you have dreamed of meeting Him and loving Him. Do not mind that your wit is small, as long as it reaches the Truth. Besides, God has chosen the foolish to confound the wise. The birds that fly the highest are not those that flap the most, but those that let themselves be carried by the wind spreading their wings without fear,” said Raphael. Zebulun, with a smile, asked: “And can I go to see the Messiah, even if only from afar?” Michael replied: “Of course, come with us, we will take you to Him. Besides, I am sure that He is waiting for you and will love to listen to you.”
Zebulun sat at the feet of Baby Jesus and told him his stories and thoughts. “Jesus, my name is Zebulun, I am twelve years old, and I am a shepherd like my father. The angel who has accompanied me here has told me that you know everything because you are the Messiah and the Son of God; but if you let me, I prefer to tell you things even if you already know them, because it is so good to be by your side… My mother, Joan, died when she had me, and that is why my father (whose name is Matthias, I don’t know if I have told you this already) says that I have to love him more than anyone else in the world; but I love him more because he is by my side all day and teaches me many things. I have learned to distinguish some birds, stars… (Looking to the East) I have noticed that a very large new one has appeared right above where you are,” Zebulun said innocently.
Zebulun, with his purity of heart, shared his feelings and experiences with Baby Jesus. “You see, Jesus, I’m a bit of a fool… Don’t say no, it’s obvious right away. Everyone knows it. There are people who look at me strangely and despise me, as if it were my fault. I would like to tell them that I’m not deliberately foolish, that I was born this way by the will of Yahweh, and it’s not so bad either. It serves, for example, to make children laugh. If you only knew how much fun we have when I pretend to be even more foolish so that they laugh more! See? I already said another silly thing: ‘If you only knew’, the Angel explained to me a while ago that You know everything, and I had already forgotten…” said Zebulon with a smile.
Zebulon also shared his love for his little dog Peque and his desire to be close to Baby Jesus. “Do you like this dog? Well, he’s mine (well, my father’s). His name is Peque, and he’s my best friend, because he doesn’t laugh at me. Can I tell you something? I’ve never been able to think for so long without getting tired, but I’m not kidding myself: I know that this only happens to me because I’m with you. It’s funny, the same thing happened to me with the Angel: When he appeared to us while we were sleeping with the sheep, I didn’t understand anything. He said such difficult words that not even my father and the others understood much. Imagine me, who’s kind of stupid… But, as the Angel knew it, after talking to the other shepherds he came up to me and started chatting with me alone, just like we are now, without anyone seeing us…” said Zabulon with emotion.
The angels, observing the scene, sang with joy: “Glory to God in Heaven and on earth peace to the men whom the Lord loves.” Zebulun, with his little dog Peque, sat next to the Child and lovingly held his hand. The angels, with their melodious voices, continued singing Christmas carols, filling the air with joy and hope. Zebulun, with his innocence and purity of heart, found his place in the Nativity scene, proving that God’s love has no limits and that everyone, regardless of their condition, has a special place in His heart.
Article based on the book, The Nativity Scene God Made
