Three stories about faith

"The Saintmaker's Christmas Eve" by Paul Horgan.

In a poor village in New Mexico, a visiting Franciscan missionary taught two boys, the Castillo brothers to carve statues of Saints out of wood for a living. They learnt well & after the missionary's departure, started supplying the nearby churches. Once there was an order for a statue of St.Christopher holding the Infant Christ. They did it & Roberto Castillo during delivery got lost in a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. He found the Christ Child in his arms turned & was pointing out the way. Roberto thought it was an illusion & held tight. But against his strength, the figure turned until the arm pointed the way. So forced, he proceeded in the way indicated, found the church & delivered the statue on Christmas day.

"Fireworks for Elspeth" by Rumer Godden.

In this story, Elspeth, a normal girl, gets the idea of devoting her life to God as a nun. Even though they were a religious family, all, including her mother, were up in arms against her & accused her of being selfish. One of her sisters says, "In a convent, if you like anything more than another, it is taken away." One of her aunts, who had some sense, said to the sister, "Life does that to you as well, as you will find out." When Elspeth tells Mother Dorothea about the accusation of selfishness, the Mother says "Read the Ten Commandments, they are in the right order." (i.e., loving God takes priority over loving one's family.) Also she tells Elspeth, "there will be no fireworks" when you devote your life to God. So Elspeth had to start a holy life as a nun with the ridicule & disapproval of her family.

"Our Lady's Juggler" by Anatole France.

A poor pious juggler, fed up with his hand to mouth existence, meets a monk, who invites him to join the monastery. There he finds all monks serving the Madonna in their various capacities. He is depressed that he can't do anything for Her. One day an idea strikes him & he rushes to the chapel & remains there for more than an hour. Everyday he repeats this & is happy. The others get suspicious & follow him & see him juggling the balls before Her as his offering. The others, scandalised, wanted to drag him out. Then they saw the Virgin descend from the altar & with a fold of Her blue mantle, wipe the sweat from the juggler's forehead.

Then the Prior, bowing his head down to the marble floor, repeated these words: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

"Amen" echoed the others, bowing down to the floor.