Pastor's Points: "Part of the Story"

Pastor's Points: "Part of the Story"

 
Here at St. Thomas More, we have a beautiful nativity scene that is set up in the narthex.  Several years ago, Deacon Luis Royo built the crèche that houses the figures. It is great to see children and adults alike stop and be mesmerized by the beauty of the nativity scene. Members of our Environment and Art Committee do so well to set it up each year along with the many other Christmas decorations around the church. 
 
Most of us have some kind of nativity scene in our homes. I love the one my mom owns. She has it from the early days of her marriage, and my grandfather made the simple metal crèche.  There is a red light bulb in the back of it. I have memories of the crèche sitting on top of our TV cabinet and that light burning brightly during the Christmas season. Nativity scenes exist to remind us of the story of that that first Christmas, when the Lord was born into this world in the poverty of a stable. 
 
The liturgical resource “Days of the Lord” says this about the nativity scene:  “ Little children know by heart that story of Jesus’ birth in the manger at Bethlehem. They never tire of hearing it retold. In their drawings of it, they leave out no one: rather they add figures, certainly the result of inspiration and holy imagination.  It seems to them quite natural to introduce into the scene people, animals, and objects form their own world.  In fact, they often put themselves center stage. Childlike naiveté?  Perhaps.  But also, it is undeniably a spontaneous understanding of the mystery. Whatever the case, the story of the nativity…is not a Christmas fairy tale, but an authentic passage from the gospel.”
 
The idea of children putting themselves into the nativity scene captures the essence of what the story of the incarnation is all about.  God chose to take on our human condition in all things but sin. God became one of us!  Just imagine for a second the implications of what that means. God came to this earth and walked among us.  Because of this, we are a part of the story of the nativity.  The minute God took on flesh, we became a part of that story. 
 
 Understanding the incarnation begins with understanding ourselves and how we relate to one another.  Becoming part of the story of the nativity means that we recognize that God has come among us and taught us how we must relate to one another: we must love one another.  What the incarnation shows is that God deeply and profoundly loves His people and desires for all of us to be saved.  Hence, He sent his only begotten Son to be born among us, live among us, die among us, and then rise among us. The story of Christmas should teach us that living the Christian life begins with learning how to love another. To refuse to love our neighbor is to misunderstand what Christmas is all about. Jesus taught us how to love and so we must do what he has done. We must become part of the story of the incarnation—part of the great story of love.
 
As you look at our own nativity scene in these days before and after Christmas, remember that the lowly child of Bethlehem we celebrate changed everything and called us to be a part of the story. Jesus Christ has come as one among us and taught us how to love one another. May we have the courage to be a part of that story and learn His lesson of love.
 
Happy Advent!