The Home Nativity Scene

Let thy thoughts be upon the precepts of God, and meditate continually on his commandments: and he will give thee a heart, and the desire of wisdom shall be given to thee. (Wis 6:37)

Ah, yes. Nothing marks the approach of Christmas like the home Nativity scene. This little addition to the home is the most popular and most explicit image of the event we celebrate. What is key, though, in this season of Advent, is not to write off the centuries-old tradition as a mere decoration to enhance the jolly tiding, but to spend time gazing on this scene. Use it for Advent meditation to invite the Baby Jesus into your home and heart. That's it's true purpose.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets this. As in years past, I took an interested role in the Nativity display this year. We have a little hearth grill in our dinette, a grill that's never been used for its intended purpose. This happens to be one of those vacuum spots in the home. I think all homes have these spots located in various places. Although we use the space to house fruit bowls and potato baskets, it inevitably vacuums in all those things that we don't want to put away. Junk mail, cell phones, bills to pay, tools from the garage, prayer cards, recipe books, various pieces from toy sets, refrigerator magnets, etc.

Come Advent, we make it our Nativity location. It has a handy overhead light, and it really stands out as we eat our meals, particularly those meals lighted by the Advent candles. It also keeps the figurines out of reach of the really young ones. The only problem is, old habits die hard.

This year, I took on the Nativity setting on my own. I carefully relocated the potatoes, onions, and the huge fruit platter. All those alien objects also were given a new home. Then the trusty Costco Nativity set was laid out on our added drop cloth and with a homemade backdrop. I resolved to make it a top priority to keep this scene clear in order to facilitate unobscured meditation.

Well, my resolve was not up to the task. And, hey, I have to admit, when we got into the major task of stocking our pantry with yummy homemade Christmas treats (some of which did get sampled early for quality control), even I, Mr. Resolve, resorted to using the hearth grill to gain the needed counter space, being too lazy to clean as we go.

That's okay, I told myself. A momentary laps won't do too much damage. I re-resolved myself. I re-instructed the family. This was to be holy ground, and we shan't desecrate it with profane objects like grocery coupons!

After repeated requests and relocations, I came into the dinette to see tomatoes, fresh from, of all places, Costco, removed from their box and set neatly upon a platter, right there with our other Costco product. Well, no problem. Just pick up the platter, move it, and move on. Hours later, the tomatoes are back, this time without the platter.

Resolve is officially spent. In fact, I think it is easier to change the story than it is to keep foreign objects out of the Nativity scene. So I've decided to just go with it.

So with some slight editing, my favorite hymn, one of the first to rise out of the shadows of Cromwell's England (can you believe they banned Christmas Carols? Those Calvinists were serious killjoys) will need some slight editing.

While farmers watched

their crops by night
All seated on the ground

The angel of the Lord came down

And glory shone around

"Fear not," said he,

For trembling

Had seized their tomato-stained hands

"Glad tidings of great joy I bring

To you and all of man,"

"To you in David's

Farm this day

Is born of David's line

The Savior who is Christ the Lord

And this shall be the sign."

"The heavenly Babe

You there shall find

Near ripe tomatoes displayed

And meanly wrapped in swathing bands

And in a havestbasket laid"

Thus spake the seraph,

And forthwith

Appeared among the vines

Of angels praising God, who thus

On gaspacho they did dine

"All glory be to

God on high

And to the earth be peace;

Ketchup henceforth from heaven to men

Begin and never cease!"

I wonder what Cromwell would think of that one? Not that it matters. He never had to worry about keeping a manger scene pristine, that despot.

An Old Standby

Okay, so Andy and I are lazy mystagogues. Just add a "z" to the title, and you begin to figure out why we couldn't get jobs as writers (and that's before you actually read this stuff we post).

Since I'm lazy, but still want this blog to be active, and still want all three of our followers to remember that we haven't fallen off the face of the earth (I saw Andy last night, and he's doing fine), I will let St. Alphonsus Liguori guest blog. After all, when you can't think of anything to blog about (probably because there is too much going on to narrow down a coherent thought - granted, a coherent thought would be new for this blog, but it is still a goal) go to a timeless classic.

Have you hugged your mother today?

M

y dear Queen and Mother, Mary, I will address thee in the words of St. Germanus : "Thou art omnipotent in saving sin­ners ; thy prayers are all-powerful with God, because thou art the mother of true life."—Serm. iii. in Dorm. B. V. Then, O my mistress, if I have recourse to thee, all my sins cannot make me despair of salvation. Thou obtainest by thy prayers whatever thou wishest. If thou prayest for me I shall certainly be saved. I will then say to thee with St. Bernard : Pray for me, who am so miserable, O great Mother of God, for thy Son hears thee, and grants whatsoever thou askest (Depr. ad glor. V.). I am indeed a sinner; but I wish to amend my life, and I glory in being specially devoted to thee. I am, it is true, unworthy of thy protection; but I know that thou hast never abandoned any one who has placed his trust in thee. Thou art able and willing to save me, and I trust in thee. When I was in the state of perdition, and forget­ful of thee, thou didst think of me, and didst obtain for me the grace to enter into myself. How much more ought I to trust in thy mercy now that I am dedicated to thy service, and that I recommend myself with confidence to thy prayers! O Mary ! pray for me, and obtain for me the grace to be a saint. Obtain for me holy perseverance ; obtain for me a great love of thy Son, and of thee, O my amiable mother! I love thee, O my Queen! and hope to love thee always. Do thou also love me, and obtain for me the grace that I may be transformed from a sinner into a saint. - Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Preporation for Death, Consideration XXXII

Thanks for guest blogging Doc. Come back soon!

Prayer Rationing

I haven’t quite mystagogued this one out yet. I welcome anyone’s advice. Holy Mother Church recommends that we pray for the suffering souls in Purgatory. I have taken that recommendation lightly in my own life. Our family says a quick prayer after dinner for the souls of the faithful departed. In November, we extend that prayer from one line to two! Yep, I’m sure we’re popping souls out like popcorn in an iceberg.

Still, I guess it is something. St. Catherine of Siena, one of the greatest religious mystagogues of all time (I love tossing that word in, can you tell?) says that no suffering on earth compares to what the suffering souls are undergoing in Purgatory as I type. It is of course an act of charity to relieve suffering, particularly when it is so extreme.

However, looking at this from my lazy boy seat, I think there is something more imperative that the relieve of the suffering souls. You can see where I’m going with this, I’m sure. As bad as Purgatory is, I think it is better to be in Purgatory knowing the Beatific Vision is just a few centuries away than it is to be on earth with a chance of being condemned. Would it then not be better to spend our finite time in the Church Militant with a prayer focus strictly on those who’s salvation depends on prayer?

It is so difficult to contemplate eternity. All I know is that it is a lot longer than I can put into thoughts. But Purgatory is not eternity. Hell is. Every day for eternity is a new beginning of torment. It is so terrible, I’m not going to try to put it in words. The souls of Purgatory must take great consolation in that their torments will pass and they will see God. No such consolation for the souls of Hell.

There are people out there, ones whom you know, but most whom you don’t, who may be one offering away from salvation. Why then give that offering for someone who’s already all but made it?

Just curious. I will still pray for souls since the Church instructs us to do so. But I am curious as to the logic since there is an infinite chasm between landing in Hell and landing in Purgatory.

By the way, Andy, if I pass away while this blog is still active, please erase this post. Thanks Buddy!

Réquiem ætérnam dona eis, Dómine, et lux perpétua lúceat eis – Introit, Requiem Mass, Roman Missal (1962)