Sunday, December 8, 2013

St. Francis and The First Nativity

As many of you probably know, St. Francis is credited with creating the first Nativity Scene during a Christmas Eve Mass.  

In 1223, he staged a live recreation of Luke's account in Greccio, Italy, to help tell the story of our Savior - and to remind people that their focus at Christmas should be on the birth of Christ, not the materialism of the world. 

(It is said that that scene was so blessed, that when the cattle ate the hay St. Francis used as a prop, they were cured of all their diseases!)

The other day I came across St. Bonaventure's version of that wondrous event and was moved by the following line:

"The Man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant in joy..."

And that got me thinking ... how many times do I stand before a Nativity scene with that much emotion?  Do I treat each scene that I encounter with the reverence Christ's birth deserves?  Or do I treat them as just another Christmas decoration?

I pray that, during this Advent season, all of us feel the same awe and joy that St. Francis did that night.  God Bless you.



4 comments:

Unknown said...

I love the story of St Francis and the first Nativity scene. Thanks for reminding us to truly reverence that scene. It is one of those things in our faith that can become so common place that we tend to take it for granted.
Continued Advent blessings to you, Michael.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Thank you Michael for sharing your wide knowledge with us. It is much appreciated.

You're right, how often do we stand in front of a crin in reverence, rather than admire the staues.

God bless you in this Holy Season and always.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Sorry ... bad spelling. Crib and statues instead of what I rote, wrought, wrote.

God bless.

Michael said...

Karin, Victor - thank you for the comments and the smile. God's Blessings to you both.