Donkey Bells
One year I was given the book “Donkey Bells” which was written by the foundress of Madonna House, Catherine Doherty.
Ekaterina Fyodorovna Kolyschkine Doherty, better known as Catherine Doherty, CM (1896-1985) was a social activist and foundress of the Madonna House Apostolate.
A pioneer of social justice and a renowned national speaker, Catherine was also a prolific writer of hundreds of articles, best-selling author of dozens of books, and a dedicated wife and mother. Her cause for canonization as a saint is under consideration by the Catholic Church. (Goodreads)
Catherine tells the story of her mother adding bells to her wrist or ankle, one added every week of Advent, so that her children would get excited as the bells got louder and louder the closer they got to Christmas.
This represented the bells on the small donkey that carried Mary, the mother of Jesus ,as she and Joseph made the journey to Bethlehem .
I told Terry how much I loved that story and one Christmas he had made for me a bracelet upon which I could add one bell for each week of Advent. When Christmas arrives I will add the wee donkey himself.
Do you have a tradition that you follow as you journey towards that small shelter that housed the very large Good News of Jesus’ holy birth?
Let’s try and slow down today.
Listen for the bells…..
They’re getting closer.
Peace.