I decided to come back home for the sermon today, because I wanted to share with you some of my creches that I have here at home. Creches are delightful nativity scenes we set up in our homes at Christmastime. I received my first creche as a gift thirteen years ago. My cousins gave it to me for my ordination. They gave me a few pieces, Mary and Jesus, Joseph, the stars and an angel, and over the years my family has given me more pieces to expand it.
I have brought back several creches from my various pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and I have received many more as gifts over the years. I have them spread out on tabletops and bookshelves, most flat surfaces in my living room, and I have several here on my Christmas tree. This lovely stained glass one I purchased at a spice shop in Nazareth. Here is an olive wood one I got in Bethlehem. This is a nice German one, and this one is a gift from Fr. Ted this year that comes from Denmark.
My collection includes creches from a majority of the continents, from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. I love the way the creches reflect the local culture from where they come. Here is one from Viet Nam made from local newspapers. Here is one from the Holy Land with the people wearing traditional Palestinian outfits. Her are a couple where the people are wearing indigenous Andean outfits from South America. I love this one in which the Magi bring corn and eggs and bread.
Theologically, the creche tradition is a beautiful visual representation of Incarnation. Yes, God became flesh in a particular time and place over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, but scripture reminds us, scripture teaches us that the Christ is not limited only to that one particular moment, place, and time. Christ is Incarnate in our particularities, as well. Christ is with us as a baby in Peru, or an infant in Kenya. Mary gives birth to the light of Christ in El Salvador and Indonesia. God is Incarnate in our lives today, here. The creche tradition nudges us to find ourselves in the story and to find the story in ourselves.
This creche is a special treasure of mine. My mother-in-law bought this in France when she was a young adult. A couple of years ago she entrusted it to me. It is part of the French Santons tradition. These creche figures are typically made of clay and are hand painted. The Santons tradition goes well beyond the Holy Family, the shepherds, and the Magi. The main characters are typically placed within a village, with villagers either living their normal lives or travelling toward the manger. This tradition is a powerful reminder of Christ’s presence in our normal, every day lives. Christ is present not just in obviously Holy moments, like at church, but Christ is present in our daily life and at home. The Santons tradition grew up in the wake of the French Revolution when the churches were closed, and the great public nativity scenes were banned, so people secretly made and set up creches in their homes. Now, we do not face religious persecution here, but instead it is a virus that keeps sending us back to our homes, asking us to celebrate our faith at home this season. These creches are a powerful reminder that while we are here in our homes, Christ is present with us. Christ is present with you, Christ is present with me, in our homes, right now.
AMEN
