“We Celebrating the 800th anniversary of the first Nativity scene that was installed in 1223 in the Italian town of Greccio by San Francisco”
God Will Come Tonight
The great day had arrived. On the 24th of December, all the brothers from the neighboring hermitages gathered at the cavern in Greccio. An inexplicable joy united them. Francis was like a being from another world.
It was mid-afternoon. Everyone had gathered in the cavern. Francis spoke to prepare them for the mystery of Christmas Eve. They all sat on the ground. Brother Francis knelt before them sit- ting back on his heels and began to speak with an air of mystery:
— “Brothers, God arrives tonight. God will arrive at midnight, a culmination of all our expectations. God will come on a little donkey, inside the womb of the Virgin Mother.
God will come this night bearing gifts. He will bring a golden box brimming with Humility and Compassion. Tenderness will hang from his arms. God will come tonight.”
Francis’ eyes were closed as he spoke to them. His brothers were still, their eyes wide open. Francis continued:
—“God will come tonight and tomorrow the Great Day will dawn. God will come tonight, and the house will be full of the fragrance of violets and poppies. God will come tonight, and a bolt of lightning will strike the darkness and shine on his face for all to see. God will depart from the East, travel over liberating waters, will greet us this same night and break the chains that bind us. God will come tonight and pull out our selfishness by its roots and bury it deep within the ocean. God will come tonight and show us the way, and we will follow in his footsteps. It is not long before the Lord will arrive in splendor and might. He will come bearing the colors of Peace and infuse us with Eternal Life. He’s coming!”
It was nightfall and within a few short hours, the disciples in the grotto witnessed a spectacular event. The mountain was shimmering in white light. In neighboring villages surrounding Greccio, men, women, and children abandoned their homes, raised torches large and small, and descended the mountain amidst songs of joy.
The mass of flickering lights made its way to the ravine and began to climb the ridge leading to the cavern. The light from the torches produced a glimmering phenomenon on the rocky surface, that is impossible to describe.
They had prepared an enormous Nativity scene with hay and straw at the entrance to the cavern. A gentle yet hungry little donkey stood on one side of the manger, chewing constantly. An ox that was no less gentle stood on the other side. The Poor Man of Assisi, calm yet overjoyed, stood beside the crib ready to begin the liturgy.
Francis wore a dalmatic and officiated as deacon. The Mass began. He announced the “good news” of the Birth of Christ in a sonorous voice. He closed the missal and left the altar. He approached the congregation, placing himself between the manger and the faithful.
He began to speak. He looked as if he were about to break down and cry. He echoed several times: “Love! Love! Love!” Later, he began to say these words repeatedly: “Infancy, Poverty, Peace, Salvation,” and at the end of this string of words he would utter the refrain: “Love! Love! Love!” Time and again he would find himself very close to tears.
It was one unforgettable night. To all the inhabitants of Greccio the grotto was the new Bethlehem.
Extracted from the book “Brother Francis of Assisi”, by Fr. Ignacio Larrañaga, OFM
