Our Father Who art in heaven...
The donkey and cow were in the room where Jesus was born. Here we see the donkey is especially close. The good news of God's care for the world includes the animals and plants too. Even animals seem to know who this Baby is!
Hail Mary full of grace...
A lot of people are coming into the room to see the Child Jesus. At Christmas God didn't become an angel, but human. Being human must be a very good thing then. I must remember this even when people are different, make mistakes or do wrong things. Being human is good!
Hail Mary full of grace...
Did it snow that first Christmas night? Snow says, Shhh, Listen! And in the silence I come near, very near to the Baby's crib. And holding the Holy Child, (Mary trusts me to be careful) the Infant Jesus tells me, Don't worry ~ God loves the whole world. And the way God shows how much he loves us is by forgiving.
Hail Mary full of grace...
Way down on the bottom and to the left of the painting there is a poor boy who is starting a fire. What do you think he's going to warm up in the clay pot? Is it breakfast he's brought from home for Mary and Joseph to eat? His gift is very kind. And later, when Jesus is all grown up and begins to teach us, he will say, "Feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty."
Hail Mary full of grace...
There is a big metal jar with the cap off by the foot of the baby's crib. It's hard to tell: Is the jar empty or is it full? The jar is like my heart. So this can be my prayer: If the jar of my heart is empty, then say: Lord Jesus, fill it with love! And if the jar of my heart is full, then say: Lord Jesus, thank you for this gift!
Hail Mary full of grace...
There's so much going on in this room, it feels kind of noisy. There's even a man on the right playing the bagpipes! Maybe that's why the Baby is awake! But right around the crib, up close, there is a circle of silence. The quiet shepherd has taken off his hat. Mary has opened up the blanket for the shepherd to see the Baby. And right behind the Holy Mother is a young boy who wants to come in closer. I want to enter that bright circle too!
Hail Mary full of grace...
Outside the door we can see that it is early morning and the sky is filled with the rosy colors of the rising sun. It is the new day of being me - with all the gifts of kind help and friendship God has given me to share.
Hail Mary full of grace...
It's strange, but the man standing over the crib is holding a rooster. Later in the story, when Jesus is in trouble and some people want to arrest him, Jesus told Peter, You know, before the rooster crows in the morning, you will tell other people that you and I are not even friends, just so you can stay out of trouble. And that's exactly what happened. But friendship with Jesus has to be about the best thing in life, don't you think?
Hail Mary full of grace...
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| See the star in the top right corner! |
There was a traveling star that led the astrologers from the east to Jesus' crib at Bethlehem. A star of wonder...a star with royal beauty bright .When I have difficult choices to make about how to be a good person, I can ask for the Bethlehem star to shine again: This way, not that!
Hail Mary full of grace...
So God made the world wonderful and good and gave all of it to us as a gift of love. But then sometime long ago human beings decided, Let's go our own way. It looked like God was the loser, but instead God came to find what He'd lost. He started the search at Bethlehem. This is Jesus ~ God the Searcher. He'll even search from the top of Mount Calvary and all the way to Easter morning.
Hail Mary full of grace...
Glory be to the Father...
