Page 4 - Michael Journal March 2020

u This is how our tradition began: with everyone
gathered in joy around the cave, with no distance
between the original event and those sharing in its
mystery.
Thomas of Celano, the first biographer of Saint
Francis, notes that this simple and moving scene was
accompanied by the gift of a marvellous vision: one
of those present saw the Baby Jesus himself lying in
the manger. From the nativity scene of that Christmas
in 1223, “everyone went home with joy”.
With the simplicity of that sign, Saint Francis car-
ried out a great work of evangelization. His teaching
touched the hearts of Christians and continues today
to offer a simple yet authentic means of portraying
the beauty of our faith. Indeed, the place where this
first nativity scene was enacted expresses and evokes Francis signs his apostolic letter in
these sentiments. Greccio has become a refuge for Greccio, on the very spot where the
the soul, a mountain fastness wrapped in silence. Christmas Mass of 1223 was celebrated.
Why does the Christmas crèche arouse such
wonder and move us so deeply? First, because it I? Where do I come from? Why was I born at this
shows God’s tender love: the Creator of the uni- time in history? Why do I love? Why do I suffer? Why
verse lowered himself to take up our littleness. The will I die? It was to answer these questions that God
gift of life, in all its mystery, becomes all the more became man. His closeness brings light where there
wondrous as we realize that the Son of Mary is is darkness and shows the way to those dwelling in
the source and sustenance of all life. In Jesus, the the shadow of suffering (cf. Lk 1:79).
Father has given us a brother who comes to seek us With what emotion should we arrange the moun-
out whenever we are confused or lost, a loyal friend tains, streams, sheep and shepherds in the nativity
ever at our side. He gave us his Son who forgives us scene! As we do so, we are reminded that, as the
and frees us from our sins. prophets had foretold, all creation rejoices in the
Setting up the Christmas crèche in our homes coming of the Messiah. The angels and the guiding
helps us to relive the history of what took place in star are a sign that we too are called to set out for the
Bethlehem. Naturally, the Gospels remain our source cave and to worship the Lord.
for understanding and reflecting on that event. At the “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing
same time, its portrayal in the crèche helps us to im- that has happened, which the Lord has made known
agine the scene. It touches our hearts and makes us to us” (Lk 2:15). So the shepherds tell one another
enter into salvation history as contemporaries of an after the proclamation of the angels. A beautiful les-
event that is living and real in a broad gamut of his- son emerges from these simple words. Unlike so
torical and cultural contexts. many other people, busy about many things, the
In a particular way, from the time of its Francis- shepherds become the first to see the most essential
can origins, the nativity scene has invited us to “feel” thing of all: the gift of salvation. It is the humble and
and “touch” the poverty that God’s Son took upon the poor who greet the event of the Incarnation. The
himself in the Incarnation. Implicitly, it summons us shepherds respond to God who comes to meet us in
to follow him along the path of humility, poverty and the Infant Jesus by setting out to meet him with love,
self-denial that leads from the manger of Bethlehem gratitude and awe. Thanks to Jesus, this encounter
to the cross. It asks us to meet him and serve him by between God and his children gives birth to our reli-
showing mercy to those of our brothers and sisters in gion and accounts for its unique beauty, so wonder-
greatest need (cf. Mt 25:31-46). fully evident in the nativity scene.
I would like now to reflect on the various ele- Gradually, we come to the cave, where we find
ments of the nativity scene in order to appreciate the figures of Mary and Joseph. Mary is a mother
their deeper meaning. First, there is the background who contemplates her child and shows him to every
of a starry sky wrapped in the darkness and silence of visitor. The figure of Mary makes us reflect on the
night. We represent this not only out of fidelity to the great mystery that surrounded this young woman
Gospel accounts, but also for its symbolic value. We when God knocked on the door of her immaculate
can think of all those times in our lives when we have heart. Mary responded in complete obedience to the
experienced the darkness of night. Yet even then, message of the angel who asked her to become the
God does not abandon us, but is there to answer our Mother of God. Her words, “Behold I am the hand-
crucial questions about the meaning of life. Who am maid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your

6 MICHAEL January/February 2020 www.michaeljournal.org