HOW THE ANIMALS ADORED CHRIST AT HIS BIRTH FROM THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD BY VENERABLE MARY

[Dawn Marie]

HOW THE ANIMALS ADORED CHRIST AT HIS BIRTH AND HOW SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI WISHED TO HONOR THEM

(FROM THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD BY VENERABLE MARY AGREDA AND OTHER SOURCES)

Saint Joseph handed Her the wrappings and swaddling-clothes, which She had brought, She clothed Him with incomparable reverence, devotion and tenderness. Having thus swathed and clothed Him, his Mother, with heavenly wisdom, laid Him in the crib, as related by saint Luke (Luke 2, 7). For this purpose She had arranged some straw and hay upon a stone in order to prepare for the God-Man his first resting-place upon earth next to that which He had found in her arms. According to divine ordainment an ox from the neighboring fields ran up in great haste and, entering the cave, joined the beast of burden brought by the Queen. The blessed Mother commanded them, with what show of reverence was possible to them to acknowledge and adore their Creator. The humble animals obeyed their Mistress and prostrated themselves before the Child, warming Him with their breath and rendering Him the service refused by men. And thus the God made man was placed between two animals, wrapped in swaddling-clothes and wonderfully fulfilling the prophecy, that "the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib; but Israel hath not known me, and my people hath not understood." (Is. 13.)

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

During the time that Francis lived, many of the citizens of Italy would have felt it a privilege to speak to the Emperor, Frederick II, to voice their social, economic, and political concerns. But Frederick II’s imperial position segregated him from the common people. Francis too, expressed a desire to speak to the Emperor, but for reasons all his own. He told the Brothers that if he could ever have the opportunity to speak to the Emperor, he would ask him to have a special ruling that every Christmas, grain would be scattered on the highways for all of the birds and especially for the larks. Donkeys and oxen too, should enjoy a double helping of oats and hay on Christmas day, in honor of the donkeys and oxen who stood at the crib of the baby Jesus.