As the twelve days of Christmas come to an end, the Three Wise Kings from the East, on their way, to visit Baby Jesus, where the Comet led them, stopped whilst an old housewife was sweeping and putting order to her cottage. After her act of kindness by giving the parched travelers drinks and refreshments, the Three Men, dressed in Royal costumes, told her that a New Celestial Baby King was born on Earth and would she come with them to offer the New Born King gifts and their respect. The old kind housewife refused saying that she was too busy to go. The Three Wise Kings from the East left... but soon after the kind old housewife gathered appropriate gifts and ran after the Three Travellers, trying to catch up with them, but to no avail. At that very moment, Baby Jesus from his Cradle in a Manger in a poor shepherd hut, blessed the old housewife and she became La Befana... and Jesus gave her the ability to travel across all the earth, in that Starry Sky, on her broomstick and give gifts to all children to celebrate His Arrival. La Befana's gifts multiply as she travels far and wide on the night between the 5th and 6th of January each year. With the help of Mums, Dads, and All who love children, presents are put in colourful socks in their home as La Befana sweeps through the air and can only stop quickly because she is so busy! Tradition says that La Befana only gives gifts to good children and pieces of coal to naughty bad children. Guess what? La Befana this year visited me. I am an adult. She said: I am giving you the Gift of Love. Tell the World that I recognize that even naughty children should receive my gifts, since they probably need them even more than the children who are naturally blessed with a nicer disposition. Tell the world that from now on coal should remain in the ground since the world now has the Sun, Wind and the Oceans to provide the energy that humans need. Remember La Befana of 2019, when you must rewrite my story in the Land of the First People where the Rainbow Serpent too and all the Ancient Spirits once lived under the Southern Cross. La Befana invites All People to end the Festive season by giving gifts inside small or large colourful socks to honour the Little Baby in the Cradle. Include a Boomerang Gift for children as a sign of Love that comes back. All the Universe in Heaven and Earth are now at Peace because the Epiphany has arrived, La Befana has travelled in all corners of the Globe and, where it is cold, they light up a big bonfire to announce the end of the Christmas Season. The same happens in the waters and Lands under the Southern Cross. People go to the beach and even Antarctica celebrates Christmas by giving its varied fish, birds and animals days of respite from icy cold conditions. As the Epiphany marks the end of this festive period, Baby Jesus, together with His Mum and Dad, return to Bethlehem, La Befana too goes back to mind her own home for another year. She is already worrying about the presents that she will bring to all children on Earth next year when we will celebrate the birthday of a Holy, smiling, radiant Baby in his poor location in a stable, surrounded by Love from the Universe and on Earth by people with goodwill. Love too can grow from very unusual places, whether comfortable or not. What counts is the sentiment of Care between people and among all nations on Earth. Glory be in Excelsis Dei!
