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Deep in the forest, where few people passed anymore, lay a monastery. The brothers had spent many years tending the grounds to the best of their abilities. But it had been a long time since new and younger men had joined the brotherhood. Time and again they had had to bury one of their numbers, and the members remaining, each had a long white beard.
In summer they had been able to take care of their garden, and they were glad for the cabbage and turnips that they had harvested. There would be enough beans and potatoes to last them through the winter. They had also gathered roots and leaves which they used for medicine for each other.
Every day, once early in the morning and again toward evening they observed communion in their chapel, like they had learned to do it, a practice they had faithfully done year after year. They also spent many hours in silent prayer, to praise God again and again for what he had done for them, for the church and for all mankind.
Thus, they were at peace with what they had, and were happy for the place they had. At their services they would always sing, although none of them had a strong voice left. The brother who had been their song leader, had passed away the last spring, and now their singing was really not very good. But they kept up the practice of singing as well as they could, and at times there was a rumour, that the birds and the animals of the forest went into hiding when the brothers sang, because their voices were so hoarse and scratchy. They had also prayed for someone to come and help them with singing.
When December came, they had a layer of snow on their yard, and the wind was not about to stop howling. Then one day when they were coming in from their chores, they saw a young man, who was about to pass by their place. They invited him to come in, because they felt he would not be able to make it to the next village. They were able to convince him and he joined them.
The young man was suffering from a cold, and they took care of him for a number of days, till he recovered fully. They noticed that the young man would sing to himself. They were glad for that, and insisted that he was to stay and sing in their service at Christmas. They all sat quietly and enjoyed the man singing the Hallelujah and about God’s great gift. That is what they had long wished for. Now they did not have to strain their voices. They were sure that God would be more pleased with this than their own singing.
When the young man had finished singing, an angel stood before their altar. The angel did not have a good message for them. “God sent me,” he said, “because he did not hear you sing. He appreciates it so much when he hears you, praising him with your voices, as well as you can.”
“We thought our voices were no good,” said the brothers. “We asked this man to sing because we sing so poorly.”
“No,” said the angel. “This young man sang in order to receive your praise for himself. None of your service today has penetrated into heaven. The dear Lord is still waiting to hear you.” And the angel disappeared.
The brothers were ashamed that they had so easily despised their own voices, and that their thanks had that day not gone up to God. The young man now stood aside as the brothers sang their songs. And he recognized what the angel had meant. Though it was not the sweetest singing to his ears, yet he saw the gratitude that the brothers expressed for the gift of Christmas, and how they praised God for his son, who came into the world through Mary and Joseph. And before he said his goodbyes the next day, the young man thanked the brothers for the blessing that he had received from them.