Reflections
Christmas Reflection with Friar Paul Ghanem
Bonaventure recounts for us the story of Francis and the Christmas Crib: Three years before he died, Francis decided to celebrate at Greccio the memory of the birth of the child Jesus with the greatest possible solemnity. He obtained the permission of Pope Honorius III for the ceremony; then he had a crib prepared with hay, an ox and an ass. The friars were invited and the people came in crowds. Francis, who was a deacon, sang the Gospel and preached to the people about the birth of the poor king,"the babe of Bethlehem". Major Life X, 7
Apart from the presence of the Christ Child the only other things Francis requests is the crib, the hay, the ox and the ass. It is these things that surround the baby Jesus, it is these things that are witness to the majesty of the new born king. Humans are noticeably absent in the retelling of this sacred story with Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wise men are nowhere to be found. Francis summons the townsfolk and friars to look upon this scene with devotion. Christ is seen through the natural world into which he is born. It is the fauna and the flora that first give witness to Christ and thus lead humanity in a spirit of devotion and awe.
