The Messiah

It was a Saturday afternoon in early spring and Mary had brought her young son, Zachary, to the park. They were strolling together hand in hand down the walkway, gazing at the beautiful scenery and watching the people, some of whom were engaged in playful activities, some of whom were lying in the sun or reading on park benches. They passed a group of girls jumping rope, young men throwing a football in a field, and an old man doing tai chi. They passed several young men smoking cigarettes, a woman running with her dog, and a man with a black felt wide-brimmed hat playing the trumpet. It seemed all the world was gathered in the park, and the sun overhead seemed to bless everyone with its warm rays of yellow light.

            They also passed an old man seated on a bench feeding the birds. He was dressed in a long tan coat that was in tatters and very dirty. His hair was long and gray and also looked dirty. Zachary, who was fascinated by the mass of birds, pulled Mary’s arm and told her he wanted to visit them. Mary looked at the old man, and felt somewhat dubious, but she decided her worries were irrational and prejudicial, and therefore felt a vague sense of altruism when she let go of her son’s hand and followed him, smiling, as he ran over to where the man was seated.

            He approached the birds slowly, gazing on them curiously, and with a certain amount of fear. The old man looked at Zachary, also with curiosity, but instead of fear there was pure delight in the old man’s face, which shone at that moment more childlike than the child’s. “Would you like to feed the birds?” the old man asked. Zachary nodded. “Come over here,” said the old man, “Take some birdseed.” The old man held up his hand, which was full of birdseed that shone bright and yellow under the sun.

            Zachary carefully walked through the mass of birds, which stepped aside for him without the least bit of curiosity or annoyance, and they continued pecking mindlessly at the seed at their feet, showing no joy or appreciation for the one feeding them. “Here,” said the old man to the boy, “Hold out your hand.”

            The old man slowly poured the seed into Zachary’s small hand, and Zachary gazed intently into the old man’s eyes, deliberating. Then, recognizing him as a friend, he smiled. “Now go ahead,” said the old man, also smiling. “Pour it slowly,” he said. “Like this.” The old man proceeded to shake his hand slightly but vigorously, so that the birdseed fell from the edges of his hand in thin zigzagging waves. Zachary tried to copy his motion, but too much birdseed came out of his hand, so that small piles formed beneath him. “That’s OK. Try again,” the old man said. “This time, keep your hand level, like this.” He showed the boy again how to do it. Zachary watched carefully, smiled, then, with a determined look, tried again. This time, he succeeded. “Good job!” said the old man. “You’re a fast learner.”

            Mary, who had been watching this scene with much delight, felt it was now her obligation to strike up a conversation with the old man. “Do you come here every day?” she asked.

            “Most every day,” he said. “The birds know me well, as you can see.”

            Mary smiled and said that she could.

            “Well, Zachary,” she said, “I think we’d better get going. This nice man needs his private time with the birds.”

            The old man laughed. “Oh, no, ma’am. I don’t mind him at all.”

            Mary smiled and said that she knew, but that Zachary had to get back home for his midday nap.

            “Come on, Zachary,” she said, pulling him along. Zachary finished pouring the birdseed out of his hand, and went along with his mother. “Goodbye!” cried Mary to the old man. “Have a good rest of your day!”

            “You too, ma’am. And you take care, little one!”

           

            A week passed and Zachary was anxious to return to the park to see the birds and the old man. This time, as it was a cloudy day, they brought their umbrellas just in case. When they were nearing the spot where they had met the old man, Zachary perked up and began to search for him. Sure enough, he was seated on the bench, feeding the birds. He looked up and saw them approaching. Suddenly, as if in sheer amazement, he stood up and began gazing at the boy with intensity and befuddlement. “It’s you!” he cried. He ran through the pile of birds at his feet, which scattered about him as if they were leaves and he were a heavy gust of wind. He approached the mother and son, who stood looking at him, aghast. “It’s you!” he continued. “Your son! Your son...It’s you!”

            He was in a feverish frenzy, sweeping the air with his arms, and his face, which had already had the appearance of being crooked, was now contorted so that it barely looked like a face at all. “Last week,” he began, “after your son left, the most amazing thing happened! The birds...they began to sing in the voice of angels, and a halo appeared over your son’s head!”

Mary wanted to run, but with her son, that would have been impossible. She began to look around for someone to help her.

“Don’t you see?” the old man continued. “Your son is the Messiah!”

“Are you serious?” Mary asked.

“Of course I’m serious!” cried the old man.

“Thank you,” said Mary. “We must get going.”

“Oh, but of course,” said the old man. “Of course. Bless you! God bless you! Thank the Heavens!”

As Mary and Zach began walking away, the old man continued praising the Heavens. When Mary looked back, he was on the ground, his arms stretched out in front of him in obeisance.

Later that night, when Mary was putting Zachary to bed, Zachary asked, “Mommy, what is the Messiah?”

“Well,” said Mary, “some people believe that the Messiah is a person that will one day come and bring peace and happiness to the entire world.”

“Am I the Messiah, mommy?”

“No, sweetheart.”

Zachary looked crestfallen. His mother felt a pang of anguish at the pit of her soul. “But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to be like Him,” she said.

Zachary smiled. Mary took his hand, squeezed it, and kissed his forehead.