April 2012
With this newsletter we will focus on saints that had a devotion to the Child Jesus. Devotions to the Holy Infancy, or Sacred Humanity, of Our Lord are not just for little children. When we as adults focus on the many qualities of Our Lord as a Child- His humility, simplicity and gentleness to name a few- we come to a full understanding that these virtues are very loved by Him and it should be our life-long mission to develop these traits in our own personal journey here on Earth.
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This month we will focus on the love St. Francis of Assisi had for the Christ Child.
It was about three years before his death that Francis, inspired by a deep love for our Lord in His holy Infancy and desiring to honor Him in a special way for the Feast of His Nativity, decided to create a re-enactment of the conditions present in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Francis often meditated
on the deep humility of the Incarnation and wanted to portray that aspect of our Lord’s birth to those present.
Francis contacted a man by the name of John, a noble man who lived near the town of Greccio. Francis said to him: “If you want us to celebrate the fast of Our Lord at Greccio, go with haste and diligently prepare what I tell you. For I wish to do something that will recall to memory the little Child who was born in Bethlehem and set before our bodily eyes in some way the inconveniences of His infant needs, how He lay in a manger, how, with an on and an ass standing by, He lay upon the hay where He had been placed.”The
good man prepared everything in haste as Francis had instructed him.
The men and women of the town prepared joyously using candles and torches to light up that night. The brothers of Francis’ order came from various places. An ox and an ass were present and the manger was prepared with hay. When Francis arrived, he was filled with joy at all the preparations. The little town
looked like a new Bethlehem. The brothers sang praises to their lord and there were large crowds present to celebrate this mystery. The Mass was celebrated over the manger and Francis served as a Deacon. He sang the Holy Gospel in a melodious voice and he preached to all gathered the wonders of the Nativity of
Our Lord. Francis’ love for Our Lord overflowed when he spoke of the Child of Bethlehem.
A certain man in the audience received a wonderful vision that night: he saw a little Child lying in the manger lifeless. He saw Francis go near the Child to rouse it from His sleep and the Child was brought back to life. The vision was fitting since many people had forgotten the great humility of Jesus’ birth and many had failed to meditate on this great mystery. Many present that night returned to their home with gladdened hearts.
Many miracles came about by the hay on which the Child Jesus lay that night near Greccio. Many animals that had suffered in the nearby villages of various illnesses were healed instantly upon feeding on the miraculous hay. The hay was even used for humans suffering from various illnesses and brought
about miracles delivering them from their sufferings as well.
A Church in honor of St Francis was erected upon the very place
upon which Francis celebrated this great mystery. So that from that moment on,
all peoples would be fed with the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus in the most
holy Eucharist celebrated in this Church.
St. Francis of Assisi pray for us and for this website.
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This month we will focus on the love St. Francis of Assisi had for the Christ Child.
It was about three years before his death that Francis, inspired by a deep love for our Lord in His holy Infancy and desiring to honor Him in a special way for the Feast of His Nativity, decided to create a re-enactment of the conditions present in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. Francis often meditated
on the deep humility of the Incarnation and wanted to portray that aspect of our Lord’s birth to those present.
Francis contacted a man by the name of John, a noble man who lived near the town of Greccio. Francis said to him: “If you want us to celebrate the fast of Our Lord at Greccio, go with haste and diligently prepare what I tell you. For I wish to do something that will recall to memory the little Child who was born in Bethlehem and set before our bodily eyes in some way the inconveniences of His infant needs, how He lay in a manger, how, with an on and an ass standing by, He lay upon the hay where He had been placed.”The
good man prepared everything in haste as Francis had instructed him.
The men and women of the town prepared joyously using candles and torches to light up that night. The brothers of Francis’ order came from various places. An ox and an ass were present and the manger was prepared with hay. When Francis arrived, he was filled with joy at all the preparations. The little town
looked like a new Bethlehem. The brothers sang praises to their lord and there were large crowds present to celebrate this mystery. The Mass was celebrated over the manger and Francis served as a Deacon. He sang the Holy Gospel in a melodious voice and he preached to all gathered the wonders of the Nativity of
Our Lord. Francis’ love for Our Lord overflowed when he spoke of the Child of Bethlehem.
A certain man in the audience received a wonderful vision that night: he saw a little Child lying in the manger lifeless. He saw Francis go near the Child to rouse it from His sleep and the Child was brought back to life. The vision was fitting since many people had forgotten the great humility of Jesus’ birth and many had failed to meditate on this great mystery. Many present that night returned to their home with gladdened hearts.
Many miracles came about by the hay on which the Child Jesus lay that night near Greccio. Many animals that had suffered in the nearby villages of various illnesses were healed instantly upon feeding on the miraculous hay. The hay was even used for humans suffering from various illnesses and brought
about miracles delivering them from their sufferings as well.
A Church in honor of St Francis was erected upon the very place
upon which Francis celebrated this great mystery. So that from that moment on,
all peoples would be fed with the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus in the most
holy Eucharist celebrated in this Church.
St. Francis of Assisi pray for us and for this website.
