Keep Christ in Christmas!
 

Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the First Nativity scene, in 1223 at Greccio, central Italy, in an attempt to place the emphasis of Christmas upon the worship of Christ rather than upon secular materialism and gift giving; and to also overcome the rampant greed and materialism prevalent at that time in Italy.  He invited both his fellow friars and the townspeople to join in the celebration.
  
 He desired to create the first nativity scene in his town because he wanted to do something that would recall the memory of that Child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences of his infancy, how he lay in the manger, and how the ox and ass stood by.
 
 He set up an empty manger (the feeding trough of farm animals which served as Jesus' crib)  inside a cave, and even included a live ox and donkey beside the manger just as it was believed to have happened on that first Christmas night. Through these visual aids he wanted everyone to impress more deeply into their understanding how Christ came into the world in such poverty, simplicity, and humility.

St. Francis' recreation of that first Christmas night was so popular that soon every church in Italy had its own nativity scene. The devotion also spread to private homes, and in modern times even to secular institutions.

Your nativity set is much more than just a pretty Christmas decoration. It is a historic Catholic tradition and a tool for meditation on the humility, simplicity, and poverty of Christ that he took on, from the moment of his Incarnation, out of his boundless love for his lost sheep.

The Christmas Season

Christmastide is the name given to the Christmas season in the liturgical calendar. It begins on Christmas Eve and ends on the Sunday celebrating the Baptism of the Lord.  It includes the feast of the Holy Family, The Solemnity of Mary, The feast of the Epiphany, and The Baptism of our Lord.

The magic of Christmas is not in the presents,
 but in His presence.
 

 
 
GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO!
(Glory to God in the Highest!)
 
Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. 
Christmas is a holy day of obligation.  

All Catholics are required to attend Mass.

The Birth of Jesus!
December 25th
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.  This was the first enrollment, when Quirnius was governor of Syria.  So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.  And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
 
The Feast of the Holy Family
(1st Sunday after Christmas),
 
Feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the Sunday following Christmas. If there is no Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day, it is celebrated Dec. 30. 
 
The Holy Family (the Christ Child, the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph) serves as a model for all families.
 
Jesus, Mary and Joseph are honored for their lives together, beginning in Bethlehem, moving to Nazareth, to Egypt and back to Nazareth. We can see the humility of Jesus and Mary and Joseph’s devotedness, along with their obedience to God’s plan for them.  
 
Our families can draw inspiration from them, and look to them for help and comfort.
 

The Solemnity of Mary 
January 1st
(Holy Day of Obligation – All Catholics are required to attend Mass)
 
On this day, we are reminded of the role that Our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, participated in the plan of our salvation. Christ's Birth was made possible by Mary's fiat: "Be it done unto me according to Thy word."

 Mary was the young girl that God chose to be Jesus' earthly mother.  She was very brave and had a strong belief in God to be given the big responsibility of bringing up a child, let alone the Messiah.
 
By her motherhood, Mary shows us that Humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong. (Pope Francis)
 
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
 

 
The Visit of the Magi (Feast of the Epiphany)
(the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi) (Matthew 2:1–12).
The feast of manifestation, or Epiphany, is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th.  In the dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8),
Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.  The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.  The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manager."  And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”   Luke 2:1-14  
 
    
  
The Baptism of the Lord
 
 Luke 3:22 and the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
 
 
During Jesus’ baptism God reveals that Jesus is His Son and also the Holy Trinity.
 
 
The Church proclaims this truth throughout the Christmas Season, but Jesus is baptized when He is thirty years old.  The Baptism of Jesus was the start of His public ministry.  It was important at this point that God the Father would declare Jesus to be His own Beloved Son.  
 
This reminds us that we called to be baptized as a child of God by means of sharing in the life and death of Jesus Christ. 
 
Jesus, of course, had no need to be baptized.  Jesus was baptized for us, to show us the way, because baptism is the way into the life of Jesus, and through Him into the inner life of the Trinity.
 
Your baptism was the moment when you became one member of Christ’s
 
Jn 3:5 Jesus answered (Nicodemus), "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."
 
Mt 3:11  I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.
 
The Christmas Season ends with the Baptism of Jesus.

We can follow the example of the magi, the shepherds, and Mary and Joseph
 by welcoming Jesus into our lives;  and following Jesus 
by imitating his poverty, humility and simplicity.
 
May your heart be filled with the peace and joy of Jesus
 this Christmas Season, and always!


 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!