We associate the nativity scene,
or crèche, with Christmas; many churches and homes display a crèche during the
Christmas season, and the traditional Christmas pageant concludes with a
tableau of the nativity. The
message of the crèche, however, is not only for the holiday season; its message
is for the entire year. The crèche speaks of justice, and invites people
everywhere to break down the barriers that contribute to injustice.
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| A simple creche |
Today's creche is more elaborate than the original version
Saint Francis of Assisi created
the first crèche in 1223 when, in a niche on a rocky hillside, he set up a
manger to which he brought an ox and an ass. People flocked to the makeshift
stable. That first crèche helped people encounter the tender love of God made
manifest in a baby.
From its original simplicity, the
crèche evolved to include what is frequently an epic cast of characters more
suitable for a Renaissance canvas than for most mantelpieces or church
sanctuaries. It is not unusual for
a crèche to have figurines of Mary, Joseph and the baby in a manger, shepherds
and their sheep, magi and their camels and gifts, an ox, an ass and an
imaginative assortment of other animals.
A blend of the Gospel nativity narratives
The more elaborate representations
of the crèche blend the two versions of the birth of Jesus that are recounted
in the New Testament. In Luke’s Gospel, shepherds hurry from the hills to find
the baby in a manger. In Matthew’s Gospel, magi from the East find the child
sometime later. Neither Gospel places the shepherds and magi together at the
stable, nor mentions any animals, not even the legendary ass that carried the
pregnant Mary to Bethlehem.
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| Some of the figurines from a ceramic set that my mother made for me; this set also includes more shepherds, sheep, and three large camels |
A vision of justice
The crèche is a rich source of
material for reflection, and my appreciation for it deepens with every passing
year. When I was a child, the
crèche was a welcome distraction during a long Christmas Mass that, in my
childhood estimation, interfered with the festivities under the tree. In the
crèche today, I see a theology of justice.
The figures of the crèche –Mary,
Joseph, the shepherds and the magi – do not have much in common. They are from
different cultural, socio-economic and religious backgrounds. While under ordinary circumstances they
may have been wary of one another, the baby in the manger unites them. Before
the manger, the categories that frequently separate and divide people – race,
culture, creed and wealth – dissipate.
The crèche directs attention to the dignity of every individual, and
presents a vision of human interactions that are devoid of bias, prejudice,
greed and hatred.
The crèche holds a message that
transcends its usefulness as a seasonal decoration to adorn mantles and church
sanctuaries. The message of the crèche can touch our hearts, and inspire us
towards more loving and just relationships. The crèche invites everyone to participate in creating a
world where the goodwill, peace and joy of Christmas take root and flourish all
year long.
Although the crèche artistically portrays a first century story of the birth of a savior, and is specific to a particular set of religious beliefs, the message of the crèche is for everyone, and for all times.
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