St. Francis of Assisi found the perfect way to dramatize the Christmas Story—the story of how the Light overcame the Darkness by becoming flesh and dwelling among us. (John 1:5,14). He gave us the Nativity Scene.

His Vision of the Nativity is simple. A tiny baby. A loving mother. A faithful husband. A homeless family. A humble stable. Lowly shepherds. Lordly kings. Bleating sheep. Singing angels.

Yet his Vision of the Nativity is profound. God is with us, even when we are poor and homeless, even when we find ourselves in “humbling places.” The lowliest family is blessed. Poor people worship God. Rich people worship God. Nature worships God. Heaven worships God.

His Vision of the Nativity is profoundly simple.

Yet, his Vision of the Nativity gives Joy and Peace to all Humanity in the Way of Jesus.

His Vision of the Nativity is not a perfect representation of historical facts. For example, the Magi were not there on the night Jesus was born. (Matthew 2:1-2).

Yet, his Vision of the Nativity is a perfect representation of spiritual realities.

For example, meditate upon the angels.

Mary, Joseph, and the Shepherds all received visits from angels.  What was the one thing that the angel had to tell each of them? “Fear not!”.

Similarly, when we are called to follow the Way of Jesus, the first thing each of us always needs to hear is “Fear not!”.

Like Mary, you may be asked to do something that you never dreamt of doing, something that seems impossible. “Fear not!”.

What is impossible for us is possible with God (Matthew 19:26). “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:35).

Like Joseph, you may be asked to have faith in someone who seems to have betrayed your trust, someone who seems to have done something wrong that will hurt you, too. “Fear not!”.

After you learn more and think more, you may come to trust the person again. Why? Because what they are doing was conceived by the Holy Spirit to bring love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22).

Like the shepherds, you may suddenly be asked to break out of your routines. “Fear not!”.

After you stop quaking with fear, you may realize that the new way you are being asked to live is good news that will cause great joy. This new way of living will save you from your humdrum, routine life, leading you on adventures that will bring glory to God and Peace on Earth.

Like Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds, you will learn that love casts out all your fears. (1 John 4:18).  And you will meet perfect love that casts out all your fears, when your adventures empower you to see Baby Jesus.

As I explained in my blog “The Nativity Scene: Baby Jesus”, you will be empowered to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:36-38).

You will be empowered to have nothing in your life (such as the love of money or the love of power) that is more important to you than loving the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7 & 6:4-5; Matthew 6:24; 22:36-40).

You will be empowered to love others as much as you love yourself—loving them so much that you will do to them what you want them to do to you. (Matthew 7:12; 22:36-40; Leviticus 19:18)

You will be empowered to enjoy your life to the full. (John 10:10).

As St. Francis of Assisi envisioned, you will make the Way of Jesus great again, bringing Joy and Peace to all Humanity.

Merry Christmas!

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To read more about St. Francis of Assisi, please read my blogs: “St. Francis of Assisi Made the Way of Jesus Great Again”, “St. Francis of Assisi’s Vision of the Nativity”, “The Nativity Scene: Baby Jesus”, “The Nativity Scene: Mary”, “The Nativity Scene: Joseph”, “The Nativity Scene: The Homeless Family”, “The Nativity Scene: The Humble Stable”, “The Nativity Scene: The Shepherds”, “The Nativity Scene: The Magi”, and “The Nativity Scene: The Sheep”; and by reading the chapter “Relying on the Lunar Module” in my book Visions of the Church (published with my book Visions of America), at pages 181-185.

The chapter about St. Francis of Assisi refers to the Lunar Module because I use the flawed—yet triumphant—flight of Apollo 13 as my narrative thread to give an overview of 2,000 years of Church history in only 60 pages.

To read more about the Nativity, please read my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 12-46.

Luke says the angelic host who appeared to the Shepherds was “praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’” (Luke 2:13-14). I believe the angels could only say these glad tidings by praising God with their singing.