1-2. 12. 2007 -I Sunday of Advent

“If I'd only known who it was I turned away!” - Christmas story

Queen Victoria was England's most famous queen. She reigned 64 years from 1837 to 1901. Her favorite place during her reign was her summer home in Balmoral, Scotland. She loved to take long walks alone in the Scottish highlands.

One day Victoria got caught in a rainstorm. Seeing a rundown cottage, she ran to it. It was occupied by an old peasant woman, who opened the door. Standing in the rain, Victoria asked her if she could borrow an umbrella, promising to return it the next day. The woman said, “I have two umbrellas. One is new. The other is fairly old, but you may use it if you wish. Just a minute, I'll get it.” As it turned out, the umbrella was filled with holes and was practically useless.

The next day the woman was shocked when a royal official rode up, stopped, and knocked at the door of her cottage. He returned the old umbrella, saying, “Her Majesty the Queen borrowed this from you yesterday. She was very grateful for the use of it.”

When the royal official left the cottage, and rode away, the woman was filled with regret. She began crying out in anguish, “If I'd only known who it was I turned away! If I'd only known who it was I turned away!”

That story bears a striking resemblance to the Christmas story that unfolded in the town of Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. It began with an innkeeper who turned away not the queen of England but the Queen of Queens, who was carrying in her womb the King of Kings.

The innkeeper may even have lived long enough to discover who it was he turned away that first Christmas night. And if he did, he surely cried out in anguish: “If I'd only known who it was I turned away! If I'd only known who it was I turned away!”

Since then so many people turned Him away, so many people didn't recognize Him …

How many times in my life was Jesus passing by, and I turned Him away. Maybe this time, maybe this Christmas He will find a shelter in my heart.

Don't let Him go away.