Tag: Nativity

Tired of Christmas Plays Blame Francis
Advent · Christmas · Uncategorized

Tired of Christmas Plays Blame Francis

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Do you feel excited about remembering the birth of Jesus?

Seven hundred years ago, the people did not read and did not own bibles.  Francis of Assisi wanted the people to understand and be energized by the birth of Jesus.

St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) Life of St. Francis of Assisi

It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff.

Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise.

The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.

Thus started the tradition of Churches acting out the Nativity Scene, and eventually other Christmas plays.
But have we become unexcited over the story of Jesus?  Do we think of the babe and become filled with tenderness? Jesus existed before the world was formed yet He stepped down from heaven to become a human baby.  He entered the world in as humble a way as I can imagine.

Some times I think the traditions and the rituals which I love so much have caused me to lose the excitement over the reason for the season.

Prayer:  Lord help my mind and heart to feel the trill of the story of your birth.  Please forgive me for allowing myself to have lost the excitement of your birth.  Help me to find ways to tell the story so others are excited by your birth.

Meditation:  Jesus existed before he came to earth think about what He left to be born of a young woman, in a stable.  A babe to be cared for by its mother.  A child that must grow and learn and be subject to his parents. And then remember He did it for me.  He did it for each individual person on earth so they would have  the opportunity to be reconciled with God.

Action:  Come up with at least one creative way to share the story of Jesus birth.  Something different.

Checking In
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Checking In

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Joseph and Mary left their village heading  to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. The village of Bethlehem swelled with people in town for the census.  Mary and Joseph arrive to find every place filled with people.  The Inn Keeper had no rooms left.  Everything was full.  No rooms anywhere.  The only place available was in the stable.

Luke 2 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Today, a beautiful church sits over the cave which was once the stable.  A star marks the spot where a hay trough once stood and where the baby was to be lain.

The Inn Keeper had no rooms except this stable.  The bible doesn’t tell us, but it is interesting to thank about the person who sent Mary and Joseph to the stable to give birth. Have you thought about that Inn Keeper’s decision?  I see two or three options here.

1. The manager of this place was out to make a buck putting people anywhere he could find.  He cared nothing about the man, woman and baby needing a room.  But he would make more money if he put people in the stable.

2. The city had people everywhere and getting the stable was special.  He felt sorry for them.  Mary being pregnant and all.  He took time to find them the only place he could find.

I see one option being so similar to the person with a busy life that gives Jesus the small sliver of time left over in their lives.  But the other person, the one trying to make room for Jesus, cares.  He is trying to find Jesus a place in his life.

But neither one was really what the Lord of the Universe deserved.  Neither is right.  Yet it seems like all of us just give Jesus what is left over.  Some people in a careless way never thinking about Jesus.  The others making an effort to squeeze Him in.

Shouldn’t we be giving him our room.  Saying I will give up my comfort or my favorite things for Jesus my Lord.  We owe Him everything and most of us think we are remarkable if we let him stay in the stable.

Journal Exercise

Do you squeeze God in?  Do you find him a place between all the other activities of your life?

 

Do you feel good about giving Jesus the equivalent of the stable in you life?  You find him a place, but not the prime spot, not the best of your life.  Do you treat Him like He is king or do you treat Him like the livestock?

in order to excite the inhabitants
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

in order to excite the inhabitants

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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.

Telling the story in a new way
Christmas · Christmas Traditions

Telling the story in a new way

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St. Bonaventure (d. 1274) Life of St. Francis of Assisi

It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff.

Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed. The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise.

The man of God [St. Francis] stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted by Francis, the Levite of Christ. Then he preached to the people around the nativity of the poor King; and being unable to utter His name for the tenderness of His love, He called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.

A certain valiant and veracious soldier, Master John of Grecio, who, for the love of Christ, had left the warfare of this world, and become a dear friend of this holy man, affirmed that he beheld an Infant marvellously beautiful, sleeping in the manger, Whom the blessed Father Francis embraced with both his arms, as if he would awake Him from sleep. This vision of the devout soldier is credible, not only by reason of the sanctity of him that saw it, but by reason of the miracles which afterwards confirmed its truth.

For example of Francis, if it be considered by the world, is doubtless sufficient to excite all hearts which are negligent in the faith of Christ; and the hay of that manger, being preserved by the people, miraculously cured all diseases of cattle, and many other pestilences; God thus in all things glorifying his servant, and witnessing to the great efficacy of his holy prayers by manifest prodigies and miracles

Journal Exercise

Do you look for ways to creatively share the Christmas story with others?

Do you use this season to tell others about Jesus?

List ways you might share without forcing yourself on others.   St Francis told the story in a way people remembered and enjoyed.