We took our children to Midnight Mass each Christmas Season. On one particular night, a new

parish priest was officiating. During the Homily portion of the service, he called all the young

children [ages 2-5] to the altar steps. He sat down on the altar steps with them and proceeded to

tell the tale of Joseph’s Lamp; Mary’s journey into Bethlehem. Toward the end of the story, he

asked the children, “What did Mary have?”

 

One little red-headed girl [think of Margaret in the Charlie Brown comic strip] could hardly

contain herself as she shouted, “I know, I know!” The priest recognized her and asked, “Well,

then, what did Mary have?” The little girl stood up and positioned herself in a perfect ballet #2

position and said: “Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow…!”