The following is an excerpt from the Christmas Tree 5. You can go to Amazon.com and read free samples from the books. Just type in the Christmas Tree by John Saccone and the books will magically appear.
Chapter 8 - The Roman Colosseum
Right after Billy said that he and Margaret were teleported into a big stadium.
“My goodness!” Yelled an excited Billy. What happened? This is the Roman Colosseum.”
“What’s that?” asked a stunned Margaret.
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“Haven't you ever heard of the Romans? They built the Colosseum. My dad and I used to watch movies about the Roman gladiators. They had tremendous battles against each other. And whether a fallen fighter lived or died depended on a thumbs up or down from the Emperor. Didn't you ever see any of those movies?”
“No,” said Margaret.
“That's hard to believe. All my friends love the Roman gladiator movies.”
“Is this the place where the gladiators fought?” asked Margaret, while looking around at the massive noisy crowd that was assembled.
“Yes,” said an excited Billy. “I can’t believe it. The Angel finally listened to me. Now we’re going to have some fun and a wonderful adventure.”
“Why did the gladiators fight each other?” asked Margaret.
“Many didn't have a choice,” said Billy, while holding his nose. The stench of decay and death permeated the air. “Many of the fighters were captured and were enemies of the Roman Empire. It was either fight … or they would be killed. But some were slaves that would fight for their freedom. And there were others that fought for fame and fortune.”
“Well … I don't know why the Angel sent us here,” said Margaret, “but I want to go home.”
“That's not fair,” said Billy. “I don't want to go.”
“This place is too barbaric. I'm not going to watch people fight each other.”
“You don't have to watch,” said Billy. “Just turn around and don't look.”
And Margaret did exactly that. But what she saw wasn't very comforting. Twenty feet in front of her was a 7-year-old-boy that looked very tired and was filthy. He looked like he was crying. A few days earlier that same little boy was very happy. He was in his home with his parents and three-year-old sister Rufina. There were eight other people with them. One of the pagan people that lived in the area, reported to the Roman authorities that they were Christians. When they were interrogated by the soldiers, all of them, except his parents and two women, renounced Christ, and praised Emperor Marcus Aurelius, as if he were a god. The seven-year-old boy also renounced Christ. He didn't want to die. The little boy begged the Roman soldiers to let him take his three-year-old sister, but they refused. The little red-haired girl had to stay with her parents. They let him go but he followed the Roman soldiers for two days and last night he slept outside the Colosseum. When it opened, he entered with the rest of the spectators.
Margaret could see the terror etched on his face, as he watched his parents and sister, and two women enter the arena. They huddled together. The lions came out. They pounced on the adults, but little Rufina started running, and a lion’s paw just missed her.
“You can do it Rufina … you can do it. You're too fast,” yelled the little boy hysterically.
It was over. The little girl was being crushed in the lion’s jaws. The boy started yelling at the top of his lungs … a cry of horror echoed throughout the stadium. Everyone in the Colosseum heard it. Everyone in Rome heard it. Even the sun heard it. He thought he saw the sun blink, and then he passed out. He would spend the next fifty years of his life wandering around and living near different Christian communities. He was possessed. He had to find out how anyone could give up their life for a God that they’ve never seen, and the promise of a Kingdom that might not even exist. Were they all mad?
At the age of fifty-seven and on his deathbed, he found his answer. He promised God that if he recovered from his illness he would repent and follow His Teaching. And he did recover. And he kept his promise. And because of that he received more Grace from God, and that allowed him to become even more faithful and steadfast in his beliefs. This fire of love started raging so much within him that he couldn't contain it and started preaching the Gospel to all that would listen.
When he was sixty-four years old, he was accused by a Roman legion commander of being a Christian. When asked to renounce Christ, he replied, "No!” He was beheaded.
Margaret kept running and running. It seemed like she was running in a never-ending marathon. But no matter how far she ran, she still heard the little boy's cries ringing in her ears.
Billy ran after her and as they were running the both of them realized that many people in the Colosseum were booing. The gladiators were taught to die with honor and fearlessness. The people respected those that did. And there was no one that was more fearless and honorable than Christians. And because of that, many people respected them. These Martyrs started to even convert some of the Romans to Christianity.
When Margaret and Billy stopped running, they found themselves underneath the Colosseum. And there were tunnels everywhere, and as they continued walking they noticed a labyrinth of rooms, and hallways. In some of the rooms weapons were stored. There were also animals in large cages.
“This is unbelievable,” said Billy. “It's like a zoo.”
“You mean a slaughterhouse,” said Margaret, realizing that the animals would be killed by the gladiators.
As they continued walking, they saw elephants and bears and even a hippopotamus. Margaret noticed that the animals were anxious and fearful. Their sorrowful eyes mirrored their despair.
Margaret and Billy arrived at a jail cell that held two young women and three elderly men, with long beards, and disheveled hair. The men looked very frail and thin. And their faces and clothes were tattered and tattooed from the abuse they suffered. The two women fared no better. They were bloodied and had bruises on their arms and legs.
They were all Christians, and to be a Christian during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, was to invite persecution and hardship. It was an invitation for death.
The Christians were scheduled to be the main course for the lions’ lunch. But the boos, threats, and outrage from the citizens of Rome didn't go unheeded. They had just witnessed a little red-headed girl and her family being torn to pieces by the lions. A message was sent to the jail guards from one of the Lanista's - coach for the gladiators - to let the Christians go. The Roman authorities didn't want a riot on their hands.
When the Christians were told that they were free to go, the two young women embraced each other and started praising God. But the older men weren't as happy. They were prepared to meet their Maker.
The Christians were let out of their jail cell and accompanied by three jail guards through a number of tunnels, and all the Christians had to do was walk another fifty-five feet to their freedom. But when the jail guards left them, the men doubled-back. They walked through a series of tunnels, and arrived at a gate that would lead them into the arena. The two guards at the gate, knowing that the Christians were to be fed to the lions, were surprised.
“Where are the guards that should be accompanying you?” asked a guard at the gate.
“What need is there for a guard to accompany us,” said one of the men. “Christians are not afraid to die.”
And both of the guards knew that to be true. Many times, they would see Christians singing and praising God, while being led to their deaths. But what they didn't know was that it was ordered that these Christians should be set free.
The guards opened the gate and closed it behind the men and watched as the Christians walked another seventy-five feet and opened another gate and entered into the arena.
Each of the men held a Bible in their left hand and with their right arm extended, and index finger pointed upward, and walking toward different sides of the arena prayed out loud the following: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
The gleeful lions devoured their defenseless prey with such viciousness that a chorus of boos and violence rained down on the Roman soldiers. The soldiers, being bombarded with objects from the Roman citizens, took out their swords, while other soldiers, strategically placed throughout the Colosseum, used their bows and arrows, and started instinctively killing everyone in sight. Margaret grabbed Billy’s hand and screamed, “Home, please.”
Margaret and Billy were teleported home and sat down on the couch and were still holding hands. They were shocked by what they saw. They didn’t even bother to take the scotch tape off of the drumstick and remove the drumstick from the broom. They just sat there, wide-eyed, and stared into space … still in disbelief. Billy finally said, “Wow!”
