The Wisdom In The Creche

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is beloved by so many people around the world because of his simplicity and humility. He has a gift for teaching the faith in a way that even children can understand. People of all faiths admire him because he lives the teachings of Jesus in such an authentic way.

At the beginning of Advent, just over a month ago, Pope Francis’ humility and simplicity were evident when he visited the town of Greccio where his namesake, Saint Francis, created the first nativity scene. Pope Francis used the occasion to deliver a letter to all God’s people on how the mangers we set up in our homes every Christmas can help us to understand the mystery of Jesus’ birth.

The letter he wrote is known by its Latin title, Admirabile Signum, and can be found online. It is short enough to read in one sitting, so I encourage you, when you go home, to take some time to read it prayerfully. Like all Pope Francis’ writings, it is packed with wisdom and practical advice. I would also encourage all of us, during this week, to spend time before a manger scene and reflect on the love of God who became man to save us in Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis’ words, in particular, give us some insight into the feast we are celebrating today - The Epiphany of the Lord. On this day, we celebrate the Magi who visited Jesus bringing Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Three Kings, as they are often referred to, are prominent figures in every manger scene and an important part of the Christmas story. Let’s take some time today to reflect with Pope Francis on what these wise men have to teach us about our lives as Christians.

The first lesson we learn from the Magi is that God comes to save all people. Often the wise men are depicted as people of different races. This reminds us that they were not Jews, but men of learning from the East who learned about the newborn King of the Jews by studying the course of the stars. At the heart of today’s feast of the Epiphany is the reality that Jesus came to save all people. He is not only King of the Jews but the Savior of the World.

That means that no one is outside God’s saving power. He desires that all people be saved and know the truth about His love. Everyone we meet along our journey in life is beloved by our Heavenly Father. No matter how different from us they may be, they are our brothers and sisters. We have a responsibility to treat them with kindness and charity, especially when they are poor and vulnerable.

The Magi are certainly wealthy men, but they are not so proud that they cannot enter a stable and kneel down on the dirt floor to worship God. They are humble enough to join poor shepherds in giving honor to Jesus. And so they teach us that God is to be found among the poor and humble people of this world. By serving them, we serve Jesus.

The next lesson that the Magi teach us is that “people can come to Christ by a very long route”. Many of us are blessed to have been Christians all our lives. By God’s grace, we have believed and lived our faith since our youth. However, like the Magi, many have not been raised in the faith but came to Christ later in life. Or, they may have been brought up in loving Catholic homes but left the Church when they became adults.

The wise men stand for all those people who came to Jesus only after a long journey. They also give us hope for those who are looking for love and fulfillment in other places. We pray that eventually they will find their way to the only one who can give them true meaning in life - Jesus Christ. The Magi also give hope to us when we lose our way. We can always come back and be assured that we are welcome. There is room for everyone at the stable in Bethlehem.

Finally, the wise men teach us that it is not enough to worship Jesus, we must also bring Him to others. Pope Francis says, “As we contemplate this aspect of the nativity scene, we are called to reflect on the responsibility of every Christian to spread the Gospel. Each of us is called to bear glad tidings to all, testifying by our practical works of mercy to the joy of knowing Jesus and his love.”

Once they returned home, the Magi no doubt told everyone about their journey and what they had seen in Bethlehem. They did so because they were caught up in the joy and wonder of what they had experienced. The same is true for us. When we have a life-changing encounter with God, we will want to share it with others. We will want to tell them all that Jesus has done for us. And we will do it not because we are obligated to but because we are filled with joy at what we have experienced. Talking about Jesus to others should be as natural for us as telling our friends about a movie we really liked or a book we’re enjoying reading. If we allow ourselves to be caught up in the joy and wonder of God who becomes a child to save us, then we will want to share that joy and wonder with others.

Pope Francis says: “The nativity scene is like a living Gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture. As we contemplate the Christmas story, we are invited to set out on a spiritual journey, drawn by the humility of the God who became man in order to encounter every man and woman. We come to realize that so great is his love for us that he became one of us, so that we in turn might become one with him.” Jesus was born so that we could be His friends. On this day when we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, we reflect on the scene at Bethlehem and the Magi who visited Him from afar. They teach us that Jesus came to save all people, that many of those people came to Him only after a long journey, and that we all have a responsibility to help each other on the way to Bethlehem where Jesus is waiting for us.