MEDITATION:
Written by Kelly Deehan, a contemporary theology student and author.
Take a moment to visualize the Nativity scene that was in your home as a child. Try to see it through your childhood eyes once again. What do you see? Do you remember that sense of wonder as you look at that familiar figurine of baby Jesus in the manger? I have many early memories of being in awe of my family’s Nativity scene. My mom would make sure it was the first decoration to be set up. Before the adorable Christmas village came out of the attic, the little rundown stable needed to be put in its rightful place. I loved that little stable and often imagined what all the sheep and cows were saying to each other when Jesus arrived. In a season full of lights and color and sparkle, we may notice that we still stop to gaze at the Nativity scene, which sometimes lacks the aesthetic appeal that Christmas has become known for. And yet we are still drawn in. As children we already could sense it. This is different. This is sacred. This is the beginning of the greatest love story. We understood the gravity of the Incarnation long before we could define it. In contemplating Jesus’ Nativity, Dorothy Day wrote, “I’m so glad Jesus was born in a stable. Because my soul is so much like a stable. It’s poor and in unsatisfactory condition—yet I believe that if Jesus can be born in a stable, maybe he can also be born in me.” This Advent, we are invited to prepare ourselves to be the manger. Like its rough wood, we are insufficient to welcome the Savior into this world. But Jesus loves us in our smallness and in our simplicity. While our human hearts may not be fit for a king, we can still eagerly await his coming and offer all we are. As you set up your Nativity scene this year, or as you contemplate other crèches throughout this season, allow yourself to see with eyes of childhood wonder.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 7:16
MUSIC VIDEO: Joy to the World
Performed by The Cedarmont Kids
Pathways Press.com 