Pope Francis Reflects on St. Francis’ Creation of the First Nativity Scene
In his final General Audience before Christmas, Pope Francis reflected on the significance of the first Nativity scene, created 800 years ago by St. Francis of Assisi in the Italian town of Greccio.
During the Audience, the Pope emphasized St. Francis’ intention in organizing a living Nativity in Greccio was not to create a beautiful work of art, but to provoke amazement at the extreme humility of the Lord and the hardships He suffered for love of us in the poor grotto of Bethlehem.
The Pope urged the faithful to approach the crib this Christmas and ask Jesus for peace, emphasizing the need for a religious attitude of amazement in the face of the mystery of the incarnation of the Word and the birth of Jesus.
Additionally, Pope Francis identified two chief characteristics of the Nativity scene: soberness and joy. He contrasted the soberness of the Nativity scene with the consumerism that often marks Christmas, stating that it was created to bring people back to what truly matters: to God who comes to dwell among us.
The Pope also emphasized that the joy of Christmas does not come from sumptuous presents or lavish celebrations, but from experiencing the closeness of Jesus and the tenderness of God. He stated that the Nativity scene is like a living Gospel, a domestic Gospel, and a place of encounter where people bring to Jesus their expectations and worries.
In conclusion, Pope Francis encouraged everyone to go before the Nativity scene, to look upon the scene in the manger, and to allow themselves to feel something within. He compared the Nativity scene to a well from which people can draw the nearness of God, the source of hope and joy.
The Pope also shared his solidarity with the people of China’s Gansu and Qinghai provinces, who suffered a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on Monday, stating that he is “close with affection and prayer” to them.