Our Christmas wonder and awe is found in the Christ Child

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Recently, I had to go to Washington D.C. for two days of meetings for the Board of the Business School at Catholic University of America and the Papal Foundation. I try not to take on too many responsibilities outside the Diocese since much of my time is taken up just trying to tend to the needs of our wonderful Diocese.

However, when asked to help outside of our Diocese, I am reminded that when a priest is ordained a bishop, he is ordained not just for the particular Church he serves in, Metuchen for me, but also for the good of the universal Church. Therefore, I usually end up helping because I have a hard time saying no. Needless to say, I certainly do not look for more obligations outside the Diocese!

I must admit, though, that sometimes helping others has unexpected blessings. While in D.C., I usually stay at the staff house for the priests working at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), who are most hospitable. I also work with some of them in my role of treasurer and chairman of the USCCB’s Budget and Finance Committee, so it is nice to have a chance to visit with them and thank them for what they do. They deserve our thanks because it is a challenge for priests to serve in non-parochial assignments as that is what interested us in the priesthood.

During my visit when I happened to have some free time after my morning walk, which I do even when away from home, I stopped in one of the treasures of Washington, D.C. to do my holy hour – the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land. It has been some time since I last visited the Shrine, and it was a wonderful treat, another blessing.

It’s a beautiful shrine which is referred to as the little Jerusalem in America, providing a prayerful replica of the shrines in the Holy Land for those who are unable to go and visit these sacred places. The Franciscans took accurate measurements and photographs and literally recreated these holy sites in D.C. with full sized replicas of the shrines from the Holy Land.

It brought back so many good memories of the pilgrimages I was blessed to make to the Holy Land myself. While serving as Rector in Rome, I often went to the Holy Land with other priests from Rome and sometimes we did our annual retreat there, so these shrines have a special place in my heart.

At the Monastery I particularly enjoyed visiting the Bethlehem Shrine where a side altar was overflowing with clothing people left for newborn infants, to be sent to the children’s hospital in Bethlehem. I wanted to visit this Bethlehem shrine in particular, because this year marks the 800th anniversary of St. Francis creating the first live Nativity Scene for Christmas in 1223 in a cave in the small village of Greccio in Italy.

St. Francis wanted to bring Bethlehem to those who had never had the chance to visit the birthplace of Jesus, helping people see with their bodily eyes what Jesus’ original coming was like. He wanted people to realize that the Babe of Bethlehem, the name he called the Infant Jesus, was born in poverty, humility and simplicity.

So, with the help of a friend and landowner, Giovanni Velita, St. Francis constructed a manger, filled it with hay, and brought in an ox and donkey from a local farm. Then, he and his Franciscan brothers invited all the townspeople to come to the manger on Christmas eve.

That night, they lit candles, sang songs and then had Mass at the manger he had built – and St. Francis, since he was a deacon, sang the Gospel of Christ’s birth, and he preached about the birth of the poor king, born in Bethlehem, in a manger, like the one in which they were standing. Contrary to our custom and popular belief, St. Francis used no statues of Joseph, Mary or the baby Jesus – nor did he recruit live actors to play those parts; he used no shepherds or angels or wise men, nor kings.

On that Christmas Eve, St. Francis’ friend, Thomas of Celana, wrote in his journal before going to bed: “Greccio was transformed into a second Bethlehem, and that night, wonderful night, seemed like the fullest day to both man and beast for the joy they felt at the renewing of the mystery...”

At Christmas, one of the most faith-filled scenes that can be found in our homes, churches, and communities throughout the world is the Nativity, a reminder that Christmas should be centered on the birth of Christ and Christ should be the center of our lives. In homes everywhere families carry out the tradition of setting up their Nativity with the Blessed Mother, St. Joseph, shepherds, ox and donkey.

In Rome, on the third Sunday of Advent, there is a beautiful tradition when the children of Rome bring the “bambinelli” (the baby Jesus statues from their nativity scenes) to St. Peter’s Square for the Holy Father to bless them.  It is a sea of bambinelli, and a beautiful sight. The Roman children then place the Infant Jesus in the manger in their homes on Christmas eve.

It is my prayer this Christmas that the Christ Child will be the center of our celebrations and life, that each Nativity scene we see will give us a sense of wonder and awe, and remind us all that Christ should be the center of our life not only at Christmas but all year long, as we live and practice the great faith we are blessed to have.

Spend some time in your homes praying before your Nativity and teach your children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews to do the same. Encourage your family to come to Sunday Mass and receive the same Lord in the Eucharist and invite your friends, too.

Jesus desires to be with us, always. That is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas, and he awaits us, always. We are so blessed to have such a loving God who never tires of us and wants to be with us.

Blessed Christmas to you all and be assured of my love and prayers, and please, remember to pray for me this Christmas. And if you are in D.C. for some reason, stop by this wonderful monastery for a visit; you will not be disappointed!

Merry Christmas!

Most Reverend James F. Checchio, JCD, MBA
Bishop of Metuchen