Selfie with baby Jesus (smile).
God has a
funny sense of humor… As you know, I am very drawn to Franciscan spirituality, so
recently when I found out that in 1223, Saint Francis (with permission from the
Pope) created the first live nativity scene to explain the birth of Jesus to
the people - I couldn’t help, but smile.
For years now I have been collecting nativities, I have enough now to
place one in every room in my house. I
am a really visual person and I just love the joyful, hopeful image depicted in
the manger scene. When I am sad, I love
to think of myself as a little lamb resting my head on the trough, my snout
touching my savior’s babe skin. I feel
so close to Him and so protected when I contemplate this image in my mind and
there like all the animals in the stable I get fed from this trough of
life-everlasting. I love being the
little lamb in the scene because it comforts me to know that God is my shepherd
and I shall not want, that though I walk through dark valleys I will fear no
evil because He is with me. When predators
come to devour, He will leave the flock to come rescue me. And when He speaks I will recognize His guiding
voice. I think pretending to be a little
lamb is my favorite role within the nativity- it gives me profound peace to be
little and allow God to be magnificent and great. Recently as I was meditating on an image of
the birth of Christ, I began to notice how in that one moment all eyes are on
Christ. For the first time in history
all eyes are upon God. We have the poor,
outsiders -the outcasts or shepherds come to worship. We have the rich, educated wise men who come
to pay homage. We have the angels, the Star
of Bethlehem and the animals or heaven and earth worshipping the Christ Child. In that sacred image Saint Francis is showing
us that Jesus is for everyone. Furthermore,
Jesus in the trough and the donkeys’ present- tell us that even jackasses know
how to find their food! Wow! Powerful messages indeed.
Drive Thru Nativity in HB: The Christmas Story told in 9 scenes with live actors and animals!
In Mexico,
I remember all the homes in my neighborhood would display very elaborate
nativity scenes. I don’t think we even
knew of Santa Claus when I lived there.
Now as I pass the decorated homes in my neighborhood, in Southern
California, I don’t see nativities on display anymore. When I was trying to buy a lighted nativity set
for my lawn – I had to order it online because stores have stopped carrying them. Yet, there’s a place that I love to visit
around this time of year that like me has a surplus of nativities. In Costa Mesa, the TBN Broadcasting Center is
a beautiful place that loves displaying all sorts of nativities. The following are some pictures I
snapped. May you be encouraged to keep the
tradition of placing a nativity in your home and may you make the time to
contemplate the moment of atonement where all eyes are on Jesus. There’s even a perfect movie for this time, “The
Nativity Story,” on Saturday, I watched it with my sister and mom as we listened to
the rain fall…
Nativity in Ornaments.
Nativity under the Christmas tree.
Nativity in my jewelry.
Larger than life nativity.
All the characters in the scene.
Movie and study guides- I loved doing a film study this December!
Nativity at my parish: Saint Barbara in Santa Ana.
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