“The Juggler of Notre Dame”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 228, 26 September 1931, Page 17 (Supplement)

“The Juggler of Notre Dame”

I»ear Childer.— With Wendy’s permission I would tell you o-day of the miracle opera-play known as The Juggler of Notre Dame.” The story date? back to the fourteenth entcry and is laid in France. , To-day there is a very beautiful cathedral in Paris called ’Notre Dame,” or in English. •'Our Lady.” Whether the original chapel and monastery Stood on the she of the present sacred edifice. I am unab.e to state, although 1 think, it is quite potfibie However that may be. away back over tour hundred years ego the good Prior was entering the monastery, when his attention was drawn to a boy dressed up as a clown, sing ■ ng a drinking song of very questionable character. The lad. who wa= named Jean (John) was starving, and parched with thirst and thus, aided by his clownish tricks, he earned a coin now and then to allav the pangs of hunger. The Prior reouked the boy for his song, and bid him leave hia present mode of living and enter the monastery, and turn to heaven for forgiveness of his sins. While the omversation was going cn, Boniface, the jolly old monastry cook, appeared on the scene. He had been out mar'keting, and was returning with a donkey (Men with all manner of tempting provisions. The sight of all these good things was ir■prfstible to a starving lad. and was responsible for him entering the monastery and becoming a novice. Tha monks found him a very ready and »telligent pupil, and Boniface was his great friend, so life moved along happily for the sne-timo street urchin. Thus, the days passed, and one of the great festival* of the church was at hand, when special offerings were made to "Our Lady.’* Jean heard the monks discussing their gifts with each other, and realised that he had no offering to bring. Disconsolately he told old Boniface of his predicament, and the kind-hearted cook reminded him that "Our Lady” accepted all fWts that came from the heart, in support of which he tolo him the legend of the Sage Bush. Th‘s relates how when Mary with the infant Christ was escaping to Egypt from the Massacre of thte Innocents, her ass. worn out with fatigue, failed her. In the distance were King Herod’s slayer?. Whatever was she to do? Beside her there grew a lovely rose bush, and she begged the rose bush to open up its branches that she

’ might hide her baby therein, but the Rose > declined. Next to it was a common, homely Sage, 1 and to this the anxious mother next made 1 petition to have it open up its branches at r once and cradle in its heart the Holy Babe, until all danger had passed. Jean was very impressed; he said nothing, - but he thought a lot. The day qr festival arrived. r The Prior, followed by the monks, entered . the chapel, and stood frozen in horror. For there at the altar of the Holy Mother was - Jean in the full array of his motley, perI forming all his juggling tricks to the "very, very best of his abality.” i They made to aeize him for this sacrilege—t and then the miracle happened. » Before they could do so, the statute of the Madonna became imbued with life; from her t face there radiated a glorious smile, and her i hands outstretched in blessing over the pro- ’ strata penitent, for with the giving of his c very best, and his all. the spirit of Jean had j ascended into the Hill of the Highest, and now stood within His Holy Place. 5 Just an ordinary clown, acrobat, juggler, - Jean may have been, but his was the pur? 1 heart that we are assured ’sees God.” f Here again have we an "'-ample of gr&.td e opera telling out its message to circle, sails, gallery and pit. It would seem to say, e "You. who have witnessed this miracle play i of ’The Juggler of Notre Dame,’ have you i gripped the fact that it is not what you give, but the spirit in which you make the gift . that counts in heaven?” e Have you given yourself in your gift ? ? Have you? For a gift without a giver is b bare.—“BEN.”