Reflection for Dec. 25, 2011
posted on: Thursday, December 15, 2011 by: renaebauer
by Sister Laura Zelten
I love receiving Christmas cards and seeing all the ways in
which artists depict the manger scene. My favorite card this
year shows Mary holding the baby Jesus close to her heart, like a
mother holds her newborn infant. St. Francis teaches us that
the Christmas scene is love pure and simple. It is about
seeing the Christ child with our own heart.
Thomas of Celano, a 13th century Italian friar of the
Franciscans and author of several texts for church leaders, wrote
how St. Francis proclaimed the birth of our Savior in the village
of Greccio:
"Finally, the day of joy has drawn near; the time of
exultation has come. From many different places the Brothers have
been called. As they could, the men and women of the neighborhood
with exultant hearts prepared candles and torches to light up that
night whose shining star has enlightened every day and year.
Finally, the holy man of God (Francis) comes and, finding all
things prepared, he saw them and was glad. Indeed, the manger is
prepared, the hay is carried in, and the ox and the [mule] are led
to the spot. There, simplicity is given a place of honor, poverty
is exalted, and humility is commended, and out of Greccio is made a
new Bethlehem."
The story of Christmas at Greccio is one of the most popular
known stories about Francis. Francis wanted to celebrate
Christmas in way that would speak to the hearts of his brothers and
peasant people of his time so he brought real animals to set the
simple scene. He showed the birth of Jesus, the Incarnation,
as love pure and simple. Our God came as a child, small and
vulnerable; let us rejoice in the simplicity and humbleness
of the Christmas scene. May the birth of Jesus be at the center of
your Christmas celebrations.