Artwork:
Nativity Scene, (1150) is a mosaic in the Capello Palatina (Palatine Chapel), Palermo, Sicily, Italy. The mosaic includes all the elements of the Nativity story. In the center an angel shows us Mary and the Christ-child, the stable animals are gazing with eager attention upon the Babe in swaddling clothes. Clockwise from the bottom left: Joseph with his hand to his cheek, the Magi riding swiftly with the angels overhead, the star that guides them, the angel announcing to the shepherds and the shepherds bestowing their gifts.

Advent Devotional

Animals singing about the gifts they gave to the Great Gift Giver Himself who is born among His creation may seem like a cute and adorable way to bring children into caroling. The carol’s simple and seemingly transparent text, however, belies a very rich history. The tune Orientis Partibus has been attributed to Pierre de Corbeil, Bishop of Sens, France, at about 1222 and sung during the Feast of Circumcision on Jan. 1. By the 13th century the melody was sung during the Fete de l’Ane (Festival of the Donkey), the focus of which was the flight into Egypt by the holy family. During the mass for this festival, a donkey was often led or ridden into the church. At some point over the centuries the scene shifted from the flight into Egypt to the journey to Bethlehem. 

Maybe because of its “cuteness” many artists have recorded the song including Peter, Paul & Mary, Burl Ives, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash and Garth Brooks on his 1992
platinum-selling album, Beyond the Seasons. The final stanza summarizes that “all the beasts, by some good spell,” were pleased to offer a gift to Emmanuel. The “good spell” has a sense of a magical event in which even the animals comprehended and were engaged in the mystery of Creator coming among His creation.

Whatever you think about its cuteness or its history, this carol calls us to humility, and the meekness of a stable full of animals surrounding the most unpretentious of all, the Lord Himself, Who completely and entirely emptied Himself to do so. Our gratitude is shown in our generosity with our gifts to Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus,
thank You for absolutely
and utterly emptying Yourself
to be among us.
You are our gift.

Amen.