The father, a well digger, strong was he,
And as loving and kind as a father could be.
And Mary his daughter, Just five years old,
Was very much dearer than millions in gold.
To Mary her father was big, grand and nice,
So each had a treasure, beyond any price.

One day to the well, little Mary was sent
To take daddy’s lunch, how gladly she went.
But when she looked down, not a thing could be seen.
The well, like a pocket, was dark as could be.
The father saw Mary and heard her voice, too,
But made not a sound, just to see what she’d do.

She dropped to her knees, the dear little soul,
And called down, “Oh, Daddy, are you down this hole?”
“Why, yes Mary darling, I’m here at your feet,
Just drop my lunch for I’m ready to eat.
Just let it go easy, I’ll catch it all right.”
She did and she saw it fall out of sight.

“Why Mary,” said father, “There’s enough here for two,
Now this is the thing I would like you to do.
You jump down here to me and we’ll eat it together,
Down here in the cool and away from the weather.”
“Oh, daddy, I’m afraid, I can’t see you at all,
Be sure now you catch me and don’t let me fall.”

‘Twas just for a moment she wavered in doubt,
Then closing her dear little eyes she jumped out.
In the darkness, yes, that was the test,
She trusted in faith At her father’s request.
And both were so happy he kissed her and smiled
Because of the sweet trusting faith of his child.

“Oh, sweet little Mary, you put me to shame,
How often my Father Has called me the same,
But because it was dark I turned back in doubt.
Refusing the call, though his arms were stretched out.”

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it.

Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared – how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges – giving love is taking a chance.

Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.

The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his. They embraced and walked away side by side.

How sad it must be to go through life with a whole untouched heart.

“Are you Brother Bo?” asked the nervous fifty year old woman.

I was peacefully seated, waiting for the prayer meeting to start when this frenzied lady appeared before me.

“Uh…gee… ,”I stammered, “I don’t know. What will you do to me if I say yes?”

“Oh my gosh! You are him!” she cried aloud. She started jumping up and down, her hands shaking.

“Ma’am, whatever you’re accusing me of, I didn’t do it!”

“Brother Bo, I’m Liza, and ever since I read KERYGMA, I’ve always dreamt of seeing you face-to-face. ..and here you are! Oh my goodness…” her breath caught in her throat, “I think I’m going to die!”

“No please, don’t! Not here! They’ll think I did it.”

“Brother Bo, can I just touch you?”

“What?!”

“Just one slight tiny touch, “she pleaded, “perhaps your holiness will rub off on me..”

Her trembling forefinger was now poised aloft, ready to touch me on my right shoulder. Believe me, I had never felt so creepy in my entire life. Suddenly, I felt like an ancient relic being venerated.

I stood up abruptly. “I’m afraid that’s not possible, Liza.”

“But…” Her face turned pale and totally devastated.

I opened my arms wide and smiled my best smile. “But can I give you a warm hug instead?”

It felt good giving her the hug.

When Liza left, I sat down and the truth hit me in a fresh way:

God’s Love.

All we needed was a touch. But He decided to give us much more.

On the First Good Friday ever, He opened His arms on the Cross.

And that was the greatest embrace of all time.

- – - written by Bo Sanchez, a Kerygma Collection Book published by Shepherd’s Voice Publications, Inc.