The Nativity of Jesus Christ

It is said that St. Francis of Assisi was born in a stable because his parents wanted to imitate the humble situation of Christ's birth for their own son. No wonder St. Francis himself had such devotion to the child Jesus and is credited with the erection of the first crèche. Nativity scenes in art are innumerable. They depict a central mystery of the Christian Faith, the Incarnation of Christ, when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn. 1:14). It is still a great and sublime mystery that the Son of God would abandon His heavenly glory to become a creature, to become a true human being. The Scriptural narratives and artistic depictions of Christ's birth simultaneously reveal Jesus' divine glory and terrestrial poverty. The stained glass window, The Nativity of Jesus Christ, shares in this theological and artistic heritage.

At the heart of the window we see Christ. Adorned with his customary cruciform nimbus - a halo with a red cross inside - the infant Jesus sits upright and crosses his hands in the posture to receive a blessing. The artist takes a certain liberty in depicting Christ as a toddler rather than a newborn babe. In doing so the artist emphasizes Christ's hidden divinity, authority and omniscience. He sits upright, perched upon a makeshift crib - a manger, to be exact - like a king on a throne. He is fully aware of his surroundings and is able to receive the adoration of the shepherds who kneel before him.

Whether Christ was born in a cave, on the countryside or in an actual stable, we do know that the Holy Family could not find a place in any inn, and the Scriptural mention of a "manger", a trough usually found in a barn or stable from which animals eat, suggests that Christ was born in a shelter shared by animals (Lk. 2:7). The hay of the manger makes a pillow for Jesus and we see St. Joseph, Jesus' foster father, in the background carrying more sheaves of hay to support and warm his adopted son. Jesus is already covered by "swaddling clothes (Lk. 2:7), but it must have been a cold night because Mary prepares to lay another blanket upon her son. Mary awkwardly holds the blanket behind Christ's head. This is not the customary way or direction from which to lay a blanket over a child. It is as if she means to cover Christ's face. The artist is subtly and prophetically reminding the viewer of the day when Mary will have to lay a burial shroud over the face of her crucified son. The mystery of the Incarnation celebrated at Christmas paves the way for the Paschal Mystery of Holy Week: Christ's suffering, death and resurrection.

Above Christ we see an angel leading the shepherds from the fields to the Savior. We can almost hear the angel singing his triumphant hymn: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!" (Lk. 2:14). These are the first few words of the Gloria hymn sung at Mass on feasts and solemnities and they were the first sung on the birthday of our Lord. Why the angel appeared to and led shepherds of all people to the birthplace of Jesus is still a mystery, but perhaps our Lord wanted the first witnesses of our Savior to be the poor and the outcast  Shepherds, because of their trade, were often social pariahs. They lived in isolation with sheep, were often dirty and smelly, and were generally held in low esteem.  Shepherds symbolize the lowliest of the low and it is to them Christ first preaches the Good News. He brings them hope, freedom and mercy.

Indeed, Christ is the "light of the world," not only because he dispels the darkness of sin, death and injustice (Jn. 8:12), but because he reveals the face of the Heavenly Father. It is for this reason that the Son became a human being. God wished to reveal himself to the world. In the foreground the artist places a glowing lantern on the ground to remind us of God's self-revelation in Christ. The "light of the world" was born on Christmas Day. May we, like the shepherds, kneel in humble adoration of Christ who, though he was rich, "became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).