in order to excite the inhabitants

Back to our Saint Francis and his Christmas Eve service.

He brought in hay, animals and a manger.  This had never been done.  Saint Francis used his creativity to reach the people attending the service that night.  He wanted them to be excited about the events around Jesus birth.

Today, the manger scene comes as giant plastic figures, tiny shelf pieces made from precious stones, living enactments, and scenes made completely of light.  Saint Francis’ idea caught on.  But do you get excited when you see that scene?

The little manger held the creator of the universe.  He stepped down from his throne in heaven to take the body of a baby.  He came for you and for me.  He came to show us how to live.  He came to build a bridge between mankind and God.  This babe would grow up to be a man who would lay down his life as a sacrifice which covers our sins.

American Heritage Dictionary

ex·cite

TRANSITIVE VERB:
ex·cit·ed, ex·cit·ing, ex·cites

1. To stir to activity.

2. To call forth (a reaction or emotion, for example); elicit: odd noises that excited our curiosity.

3. To arouse strong feeling in:

Journal Exercise

John 1

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

When you see the creche does it excite you to activity?

Does it fill you with strong emotion?

Write a prayer asking God to excite you with that first love for Christ.  The excitement that stirs you to action.  The excitement that fills you with emotion when you see a manger and remember your Lord came to earth to build a relationship with you.