The Adult Faith Formation class on Sunday morning for several weeks has watched Bishop Robert Barron’s video series on Pivotal Players in which he profiles key figures in the church who have significantly shaped Catholicism. The series has been enlightening, both intellectually and spiritually.
One of the most fascinating segments so far in my opinion was on St. Francis of Assisi, whom we tend to think of as a charming figure who loved animals and birds, sort of a Medieval Doctor Doolittle. Don’t we usually see him pictured with a bird on his shoulder and an animal at his feet?
St. Francis of Assisi, in actuality, was anything but quaint and charming. As Bishop Barron taught us, Francis was a rather fierce ascetic. He had visions in which he was told to “rebuild my church.” He lived in extreme deprivation and poverty. He preached to the animals and birds. People thought he was crazy. He lived a life in imitation of Christ that few of us would aspire to.
But in this Advent season, we might particularly honor St. Francis of Assisi and thank him for one of the contributions to our Christian faith that helps us to focus on “the reason for the season” amidst all the materialism and chaos of the days leading up to Christmas Day. St. Francis of Assisi is credited with the first Christmas creche, what we commonly call the Nativity scene.
Probably just like for many of you, for me carefully placing my Nativity scene out in a place of honor, surrounded by candles, is a hallmark of Advent. It’s a deeply cherished tradition. Each year, I visit the gift shop at Carmelite to add a piece to my collection and both of my daughters’ collections. It’s a signal that Advent has begun.
According to tradition, St. Francis created the first Nativity on Christmas Eve in 1223. It is believed he was inspired by a recent trip to the Holy Land. The first Nativity scene was inside of a cave in Greccio, Italy. The tradition quickly spread throughout Italy.
St. Bonaventure, who lived at the same time as Francis and wrote a biography of him, tells the story this way:
It happened in the third year before his death, that in order to excite the inhabitants of Grecio to commemorate the nativity of the Infant Jesus with great devotion, [St. Francis] determined to keep it with all possible solemnity; and lest he should be accused of lightness or novelty, he asked and obtained the permission of the sovereign Pontiff. Then he prepared a manger, and brought hay, and an ox and an ass to the place appointed.
The brethren were summoned, the people ran together, the forest resounded with their voices, and that venerable night was made glorious by many and brilliant lights and sonorous psalms of praise.
Soon St. Jude will participate in this annual tradition with our own Nativity scene in the front of the church. Each year, I delight in watching the children pause to gaze at it in wonder, much as I do at home with my own smaller version.
As you enjoy yours at home, say a prayer of thanks for St. Francis of Assisi starting this wonderful tradition.
