The Little Baby of Bethlehem
"The gifts of the Almighty were multiplied at Greccio, and a wonderful vision was seen by a virtuous man who was present at the Mass. He saw the little Child lying in the manger seemingly lifeless, and then Francis, the holy man of God, went up to it and roused the Child as from a deep sleep. This vision was not unfitting, for the Child Jesus, who had been forgotten in the hearts of many, was brought to life again by God's grace working through his servant Francis and was stamped deeply upon his memory. And when the solemn vigil of Christmas was brought to a close, each one returned home with unspeakable joy." --Celano, First Life, 86
The real reason we celebrate Christmas often gets lost in our society's enthusiasm of the holiday and the ways in which it celebrates it. I've often wondered as Christians whether we should separate our celebration from the secular celebration. But as Francis has shown, our celebration of Jesus alongside the secular celebration of the holiday is a witness to the lost and dying world of the joy Jesus brings us.
"The gifts of the Almighty were multiplied at Greccio, and a wonderful vision was seen by a virtuous man who was present at the Mass. He saw the little Child lying in the manger seemingly lifeless, and then Francis, the holy man of God, went up to it and roused the Child as from a deep sleep. This vision was not unfitting, for the Child Jesus, who had been forgotten in the hearts of many, was brought to life again by God's grace working through his servant Francis and was stamped deeply upon his memory. And when the solemn vigil of Christmas was brought to a close, each one returned home with unspeakable joy." --Celano, First Life, 86
The real reason we celebrate Christmas often gets lost in our society's enthusiasm of the holiday and the ways in which it celebrates it. I've often wondered as Christians whether we should separate our celebration from the secular celebration. But as Francis has shown, our celebration of Jesus alongside the secular celebration of the holiday is a witness to the lost and dying world of the joy Jesus brings us.
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