Christmas Short Story

The midnight mass

by Lalitha Somathilaka

Senith could hear his mother weeping silently. She was in pain, Senith knew that there was nothing he could do. Even the pain killers do not seem to answer. The others were getting ready to go to the midnight mass. Senith had no heart to go with them. He was in a dilemma. Should I go or send Alice instead?

He got up and slowly went to the kitchen. Alice was standing in front of the small picture of Our Lady in her room praying.

“Alice,” he called.

Senith saw her wiping away her eyes before turning around. He could remember how her face felt when she was asked to stay at home with mother while the others were to attend the Midnight Mass.

“Alice,” said Senith again. “I am going to stay at home with mother. You can go with the others.”

“No Punchi Mahatthaya, it’s ok. I will stay at home. After all isn’t it my duty to look after madam?”

Mother

“I know Alice. Anyway, I am staying at home. What is the use of two people staying to look after mother?”

“But ....” interrupted Alice.

“No buts Alice. Since I am to stay at home anyway, there is no point that you too should miss the Midnight Mass. Hurry up,” said Senith returning to the veranda.

Senith was in his early teens. He, being the youngest was so attached to his mother that when the mother fell ill and was bedridden, he was the most affected. He had two elder brothers who are in their late teens. Their father died only about two years ago.

The church was not far. All, even Alice had just left for church. Senith walked up to the gate and watched people hurrying down.

He too would love to join them, but how can he? He had, on his own opted to stay at home with mother. He knew that Alice could have stayed.

Yet, Senith felt sorry for that elderly woman who with all worries and responsibilities never missed her Sunday mass.

Soliloquy

“After all, she looks after my mother because she had to work for her living,” soliloquised Senith. He could remember what she told them when she accepted to nurse her mother.

“I don’t mind sleeping with her in her room itself and looking after her at night too. The only day I need a holiday is Sunday. I must not miss the morning mass.

I would like to visit my daughter and my grandchildren too on that day. I will return by evening,” she told them. As requested she never missed going to church on Sunday.

“She never said anything about the Christmas night. So she could not have possibly asked for a holiday now,” said Senith to himself. “A person who never misses the Sunday mass would never like to miss the Midnight Mass too.

Being quite old she would not like to miss it at all. She misses it because of our mother and not for any fault of hers. To look after the mother on such a day should be our duty and not hers.” These were the thoughts Senith had when he went down earlier to call Alice and asked her to attend the Midnight Mass.

Church

“Her tears proved I was correct,” thought Senith watching the crowd going towards the church. He felt happy. “She is very religious. It is good that I asked her to go.”

Senith came in and looked at his mother. She seemed to be asleep, but restless. He went near the statue of Our Lady in the drawing room and looked at Her. She was smiling at him. “How serene!” Thought Senith, folding his hands in front. He wanted to pray.

He did not close his eyes; he wanted to pray looking at the statue. He was so engrossed at the peaceful, tranquil look of the eyes of the statue that he went on staring at them. He was feeling something that he had never felt before.

“Alice!” a sudden call from his mother disturbed him.

“Mama,” said Senith going into her room.
“Where’s Alice?”
“She went to church. I am staying at home with you. Do you need anything, Mama?”

“No, darling. I was thinking of Alice. I was feeling bad and found it difficult to close my eyes thinking that because of me Alice was missing the Midnight Mass.

I don’t think Alice had ever missed it as long as she could remember. Just because she has to look after me, it is not reasonable to make her miss the Christmas night service, a thing she had not missed in her life.

Thank you, Putha. You have done a good thing. God will bless you.”

“Thank you Mama. Shall I give you some water?”

“No dear, now that Alice has finally gone to church, I feel happy. I am sure it’s close to midnight. I will go to sleep listening to the church bells that would soon start ringing.”

Senith came out after watching his mother folding her hands and muttering a prayer.

He too felt satisfied. He went back to stand in front of the statue. The church bells started ringing pronouncing the birth of the Great Lord. With his hands folded in pray, Senith looked at Our Lady cloaked in her lovely blue dress.

No church bells Senith heard. He was mesmerised at the peaceful look that enveloped the beautiful statue.

As he watched he perceived a golden flash bubbling around it. Senith stared at it and knelt down in front still looking at the smiling face of the statue.

“I know that I have done the correct thing,” murmured Senith. “God has poured His blessings on me. The golden flash proved it.”