Star of Hope
Joseph, Mary and a littlest donkey approach Bethlehem
late on the day that will see the long-awaited appearance of the Savior. This
painting illustrates the silent, prayerful, tested, determined faith and hope
that was Mary and Joseph’s. As pilgrim sojourners with the holy parents, one
can reflect how at times Christians may be called to lead others, as Joseph
lead, quietly, resolutely, in actions without words. In other moments, the faithful might be called
to follow, as Mary followed, with trust and obedience. Still in other moments,
opportunity to humbly assist, as in the donkey bearing the blessed Mother, or receiving
that assistance from another. Pope
Benedict XVI called Mary Star of Hope, whom Christ depended upon
completely for nine months. She is the model of pilgrim servants, filled with
simple joy because filled with God. Mary bears Christ within herself and
carries Him who is Love to others to whom she gives generously. She leads all
by her selfless, giving example, praying continually: “Let it be done to me according to Thy word.”
Nativity of Our Lord
The Nativity is an inexhaustible icon of Christian ideal, as contemplation,
and as teaching. The arrival of the Christ on earth is chosen to be greeted
first by shepherds: simple folk, ever close to God, because close to
nature, to beauty and to poverty. When they find the place described by the
Angel, they have only to lift a veil – Joseph’s own mantle serving
makeshift door curtain – to enter the holy birthing room. Each believer is invited first by an angel and
comes to believe by faith – by free choice and action. There, they fall on
their knees, with mercy’s tears, adoring God, and worship Him. Also,
loving their neighbor, anticipating the needs of a poor stranger family,
setting before them the kindness of food, drink, and means of warmth. The
viewer hovers with unseen angels from within the cave-ruin of David’s house
glimpsing the universe of charity, and peering beyond into a star-filled
darkness, over a city asleep with gaping mouths, hungry for true food –
salvation. Christ, whose purity proves itself in an earthly life perfect in
innocence and humility, greets all humanity from a feeding trough for animals,
poised to transfigure us from fleshly enslavement to freedom’s dignified soul -
in spiritual living, radiating the imponderable original light of God as
infant. The Nativity is a vertical landscape of suspended wonder, heaven and
earth touched together in one still-echoing moment of gleaming deepest night.
Live Nativity
In 1223, Saint Francis of Assisi celebrated,
with pontifical blessing, an unusual Midnight Mass – outdoors – because the
Franciscan Chapel in Greccio was too small for the many who came. Arranging hay and manger and animals, he assembled what has been revered since
as the traditional Christmas “creche” (crib scene), as well as the first “live Nativity”. The man of God stood before the re-creation abath in tears,
pondering in adoration the reality of Almighty God come to His world as a tiny
newborn infant. The babe in Bethlehem, the manifestation of God humbling
Himself to be like, even dependent upon, his own creature, is a mystery of unending
mercy that signals the beginning of the Christian revolution of love. On
Christmas night the faithful everywhere pause to remember the first breathing
of the purest child ever to be and to receive the blessing mystical presence of
His Infant Spirit, Who is benevolence. Cold, night, and angelic light
purify the faithful, (depicted here in Toledo, Ohio) and join the enacting in union with the ancient senses, in an embrace of simplicity, essence, God with us: the true desire of
every human heart.
