Bishop William F. Medley’s copy of the book “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is seen in this November 2024 photo. RILEY GREIF | WKC
Let’s share the story of Christ’s birth with our world that doesn’t know Him
“The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s old broken-down toolhouse.”
So is written the opening sentence of a little book authored by Barbara Robinson first published in 1972: “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” I first encountered this book more than 40 years ago and have enjoyed rereading it many, many times, often on Christmas Eve. Along with Christmas carols and holiday cookies, it puts me in the mood to celebrate Christmas.
This year a movie adaptation of the book has been produced and may be in local theaters. I think you might enjoy the book and the movie.
At the beginning of the book, terrible children called the Herdmans are at the heart of the story. But as with any good Christmas story, the message leads us to Jesus.
The Herdman children, six of them, were largely unsupervised. There did not seem to be a father in the picture and the mother was largely unseen. So, six children seemingly raising themselves. Needless to say the local church was not the place to expect to find them.
One day, however, the children got wind of the Christmas pageant to be held at the church. That would not have interested the Herdmans, but the possibility that there might be cookies at the rehearsals did indeed interest them. So much to the fear and dread of all the other children, the Herdmans showed up to hijack the coveted roles in the pageant.
But, you see, they had never heard the Christmas story. So, rehearsals were spent trying to make sense of Mary, and an angel, and Joseph, and shepherds and the magi. Let’s just say it was not going well – until the night of the performance, when all the town showed up to see the trainwreck they were assured the Herdmans would make of the traditional pageant.
Of course it turns out to be the best Christmas pageant ever. The lesson may be that when we really tell the story, even hopeless children like the Herdmans can be transformed. The revealing moment is when the baby doll portraying Jesus is placed in Imogene Herdman’s arms, and she begins to cry. And so does all the audience.
This little book was one of the inspirations for my annual Christmas card. Over the past 15 years, I have gathered people (usually children) from different parishes or schools to join me in recreating the Christmas nativity scene. Somewhere out there are over a dozen different Mary’s and Joseph’s, multiple angels, shepherds and kings. The first Baby Jesus, from 2010, would be around 14 years old now. The Mary and Joseph from the first year could have children of their own now.
The story goes on. But there are still people who have not heard the story of Jesus born at Bethlehem.
Will you help me tell the story?
Merry Christmas.
Most Reverend William F. Medley
Diocese of Owensboro
Originally printed in the December 2024 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
