Contemplate the crèche

Archbishop J, what is the significance of the crèche?

Every  Christmas, as a family, we would set up the tree and the crèche in the living-room. The scene always fired our imagination, bringing to life that first night when Christ was born.

For a crèche, we spray-painted a cardboard box and placed within it crumpled brown paper that looked like hills and landscape. Here and there, in the folds of the paper, we placed shepherds and others with the sheep, and the three kings off to one side. The donkey and ox were placed on the level ground, with Mary and Joseph in the centre. The crèche was always in a prominent place and drew our attention during the season.

800th Anniversary

This year is the 800th anniversary of the Nativity scene. You would think it was always part of the Catholic tradition.

Pope Francis in his apostolic letter, On the Meaning and Importance of the Nativity Scene, 2019, says: “We need to imagine ourselves in the little Italian town of Greccio, near Rieti. Saint Francis stopped there, most likely on his way back from Rome where on 29 November 1223 he had received the confirmation of his Rule from Pope Honorius III. Francis had earlier visited the Holy Land, and the caves in Greccio reminded him of the countryside of Bethlehem”, 2.

The humble saint asked a local man to work with him to bring the crèche scene to life. Reflecting on the words of St Luke: “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk 2: 6–7).

The angels and shepherds were added because of Luke 2:8–21, which spoke of the angels visiting the shepherds. The next major addition were the Magi. Those mysterious figures bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt 2:1–2).

Where do the animals come from? They come from the Book of Isaiah, sometimes referred to as the fifth gospel. The prophet says: “The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand” (Is 1:3).

In December 1223, 800 years ago, St Francis and a helper reconstructed the Nativity scene as we know it today. On Christmas night, many friars and townspeople gathered at the location and a priest offered Mass in full view of the manger. This brought much spiritual grace, so much so, one person testified to seeing baby Jesus in a vision. There was abundant joy that year.

Devotion to the Christ Child

From this humble beginning, the tradition of the crèche in our homes and churches and public squares began. I invite you to spend some time in prayer before your crèche. Enter actively into the scene: seeing, touching, hearing—with all the smells. Free your imagination. Visit that first manger where Christ was born.

On my visit to the women’s prison this year, I asked those present if they would give birth to a child in a cow pen. There was horror and disgust. “It is not clean,” they said. Yet, Jesus was born in a cow pen—that is what a manger is—a place noisy with animals, and smelly.

The lowliness of the manger is a scandal for all who want power, prestige, and pleasure in this world. In the manger is God’s statement about the option for the poor and lowly, and the discarded.

This is how God chose to come to us as a human. This is where we need to go to encounter Him now. This year in Israel and Palestine, many are making their crèches out of rubble, a vivid reminder that the Christ Child today is found in the rubble.

Special blessings

This year, the Holy Father has given a plenary indulgence to anyone who visits a Nativity scene in a Franciscan church, between December 8 this year and February 2, 2024.

We have three churches of St Francis of Assisi in Trinidad. One in Belmont, Sangre Grande and Erin. I ask every family to sit quietly around your crèche this year, praying and meditating on the holy scene of the first Christmas.

Secondly, I would ask that you keep the crèche displayed till February 2, the outer end of the season. In this time of secularisation, the presence of the crèche in our homes and churches can be a continual reminder of that most important moment in the life of Jesus.

Below you will find some prayers to say as individuals or as a family as you sit before the crèche.

Prayers before the crèche

Oh Good Jesus, contemplating this Nativity scene, I ask you for the grace of forgiveness of my sins.

You are the dawn from on high made flesh to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

You made your home among us and loved us to the point of giving your life for us. You did not come to condemn the world but to save it. Give me the grace of sincere repentance and the humility to recognise my frailty.

Give me faith in your mercy and renew in me the joy of your salvation.

____________

Mary, Mother of Jesus, and Mother of the Church, teach us the joy of the humble and of those who believe in the promises of the Lord. Help us to proclaim the greatness of the God who accompanies and saves suffering humanity.

You are the dawn of a new creation. You are Virgin made Church, you are Mother of grace and mercy. Listen to our plea with the tenderness of your immaculate heart.

____________

Saint Joseph, just and faithful servant of the Lord, you are a holy and generous custodian. Do not take your care away from us, lost pilgrims in search of the true homeland. Protect the Church from the snares of the evil one and teach us to trust in the One who gave His only Son to rescue us from sin, evil and death.

____________

Saint Francis of Assisi, you who loved the poor and humble Christ so much that you wanted to relive in Greccio, with faith and devotion, the night of His birth in Bethlehem, intercede for us so that we can contemplate with a clean heart the beauty of the incarnation of the Son of God and the kindness of His gaze that calls us to a new life. Amen.

Key Message:

The crèche is a special religious symbol that has spoken to Christians over the generations. St Francis erected the first crèche 800 years ago.

Action Step:

Spend time as a family in front of the crèche at home, or in Church, meditating on the sacred scene. As a family, visit one of the churches of St Francis.

Scripture Reading:

Lk 2: 6–7