Dear
Parishioners and Friends,
One
of the most beautiful Christmas traditions is the manger scene or crèche. In
the Church we will soon put out a beautiful crèche which Bishop McShea gave to
the Cathedral and reminds us of the humility of our God who became man for the
sake of our salvation.
The
origin of the Christmas crèche comes from the life of St. Francis of Assisi.
Three years before he died St. Francis wanted to celebrate Christmas is a
special way. In the town of Grecio, Italy, Francis prepared a manger and
brought hay, an ox and a donkey. He stood before the scene and chanted with
Gospel “bathed in tears and radiant with joy,” as St. Bonaventure writes. St.
Francis then preached to the people of the town and called Jesus the “Babe of
Bethlehem.” An eye witness said he saw St. Francis embracing an infant who
miraculously appeared in his arms.
Some
people set up the crèche over a period of weeks as a way to live interiorly the
unfolding events of our salvation. The animals are in the stable at the
beginning and then the shepherds come. Mary and Joseph arriving on the scene
near the time of Christmas Day and the Christ child put in the manger only
then. The Magi arrive a few weeks later.
No
matter how big or small your Christmas manger scene is, may it be a concrete
sign of the great love God has for you and inspire you to keep Christ in
Christmas as we prepare for the day of His birth.
In
Christ,
Msgr.
Baker
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