23rd. December. 2020. Daily Devotion.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:1-7

One of the largest Nativity scenes I have seen was in Cartagena in Spain. It was spread under a huge canopy in the middle of a square.

According to St. Bonaventure, in the biography of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis was granted permission from Pope Honorius III to set up a live nativity scene with hay and two live animals – an ox and a donkey – in a cave near the Italian village of Greccio, Italy. He then invited the villagers to come to view the re-enacted scene of the birth of Christ on Christmas Eve where he preached about “the babe in Bethlehem”. St. Bonaventure also wrote the following: “Within a hundred years every church in Italy was expected to have a nativity scene at Christmastime.”

During Christmas week as Christians all over the world observe the birth of Jesus Christ, many of us have an annual tradition of displaying a special nativity scene inside our home or possibly in our yard. The nativity may be very old, or new; the same message is conveyed to everyone who gazes upon it, and that is a reminder of the birth of Jesus.

As the secular world continues to try to take Christ out of Christmas, it is ever more important for a Christian to continue to announce to the world about the “babe in Bethlehem” just as Saint Francis Assisi did in 1223 A.D. to the villagers in Greccio, Italy.

Lord God, thank You for sending Your Son to us. Please help us during this Christmas season to reflect Him in all our ways. Amen.

Advent Prayer

Almighty God give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and put on the armour of light, now in the time of this life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; So that, at the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal. Amen.

Simple Thanks

For our restful sleep at night,
for the rain and sunshine bright,
For the love that Thou dost send,
For our homes and for each friend,

For the day and all its pleasures,
Grateful thanks I render now.
May our lives pass on the blessings,
None can give to us, but Thou. Amen

Lord Jesus, give us the grace to hear your voice, And the strength to continue working for your kingdom in this time of pandemic. Do not allow us to be indifferent to those who today suffer the loss of a loved one, or who suffer from the absence of work. But give us the courage to accompany and side with those who suffer violence or injustice. Amen.

Dear Lord, at this time of pandemic, let us foster respect and solidarity with others, especially those who are weak or poor. Let us remain calm and ignore unsubstantiated rumours. Let us take advantage of living together as a family. Let us attend to moments of prayer. Let us cultivate responsibility, patience and hope Amen.