Can you imagine the story of the nativity of our Lord without the angels and shepherds, or the magi, or Mary or Joseph? Each had something to give: their presence; their prayers of praise and glory to God; gold, frankincense and myrrh; and their yes to God’s plan even when they did not fully comprehend what was being asked of them. As a result, we find hope in Christ’s love.
The things we do may seem insignificant to us, but the shepherds may have felt the same as they hurried to see the baby in the manger. Yet something is missing without
- our presence and action
- our sharing of our time, talents and resources
- our being people of loving care and service to others
Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first live nativity scene. The Christmas story and our experience of it would not be the same without the animals, shepherds, angels, magi, and saints. Like them, we too have something special to give.