Pope: standing in front of the crèche reminds us that God "has come down to us" in humility and meekness
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – Francis Pope urges the faithful to "stand before the crèche", where "we contemplate divine mercy" because it reminds us that God "has come down to us to dwell permanently with us," coming "in all simplicity, humility, and meekness" to save us, said Pope Francis as he thanked the delegations from the Italian province of Trentino and the Bavarian municipalities of Hirschau, Schnaittenbach and Freudenberg for donating the crèche and Christmas tree set up in St Peter's Square.
The pontiff had special words for the "little 'artists' who decorated the tree. In his congratulations, he told them, although “you are still very young, you have already exhibited your works in St Peter's Square.” Indeed, "The decorations you set up thanks to the work of the Lene Thun Foundation embody your dreams. The desires you carry in your hearts are now in the right place, because they are close to the Child of Bethlehem. They are entrusted to him who ‘made his dwelling among us’ (Jn, 1:14).
For the pontiff, “Jesus did not simply appear on earth; he did not just dedicate some of his time to us; instead, he came to share our life and welcome our wishes, because he wanted, and still wants, to live here with us and for us. He cares about our world, which on Christmas day became his world. The crèche reminds us of this: God, in his great mercy, has come down to us to dwell permanently with us."
"The crèche also tells us that He never imposes himself by force. To save us, he did not change history by performing a great miracle. Instead, he came in all simplicity, humility, and meekness. God does not love the great revolutions of history carried out by the powerful; he does not use a magic wand to change situations. Instead he makes himself small, becomes a child, to draw us with love, to touch our hearts with his humble goodness, to shake up, with his poverty, those who do their utmost to accumulate this world’s phoney treasures.
“These were also Saint Francis’ intentions when he invented the crèche. Franciscan Sources tells us that he wished ‘to commemorate the Child born in Bethlehem’ in order to ‘catch somehow with the eyes of the body a glimpse of the hardships he [Jesus] found himself in because he lacked the things a baby needs.’ In that scene, in fact, ‘simplicity was honoured, poverty exalted, and humility praised" (468-469).
“Thus, I invite you to stand in front of the crèche, because that is where God’s tenderness speaks to us. That is where we contemplate divine mercy, which became human flesh and can soften our gaze. Above all, however, it seeks to stir our hearts.
“It is nice to see in the crèche a character who immediately captures the mystery of Christmas. This character performs a good deed, bending to offer help to a senior. He does not only look at God, but imitates him as well, because, like God, he bends with mercy towards those in need. Your gifts, which will be lit tonight, will attract many gazes and will above all rekindle life in the true light of Christmas. Thank you! Please, do not forget to pray for me.”
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