Live Nativity Scene by Marian Casillas, Ed.D.

Estrella Brillante sits despondently on the park bench at The Plazita facing the life-size Christmas Nativity scene.

Suddenly she’s aware of the church bells ringing at midnight.  All the churches in town are joyfully announcing the coming of Christ on Christmas Eve.

To her utter amazement she sees the Nativity figurines moving. She wipes her eyes thinking that sleep deprivation and not having eaten, have caused her to see things blurry.

She slowly gets up, walks closer to the Nativity and realizes those are real people and animals. Mary sweetly and softly says, “Do you want to hold Jesus?” Seeing that Estrella is hesitant and unsure, Mary kindly entreats, “Don’t be afraid! Jesus is real and He loves you!”

Cautiously Estrella proceeds to walk to the manger, gently picks up the Baby, tenderly kisses his chubby cheek and returns Him to his Mother.
As she is walking away one of the Wise Men speaks to her, “Just like you held Him in your arms now, you can hold Him in your heart forever.”

Estrella stands frozen. The Wise Man continues, “He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He wants you to live in His Love. We know you are feeling sad and lonely with your life, so take these words to heart, He came to love you, to give you life abundantly.”

Estrella inquires, “How do I know this is real and I’m not just imagining all this?”

Another Wise Man steps forward and radiates a luminous, stunning smile and with his piercing eyes he reassuringly says, “This is as real as faith is real, as hope is real and as love is real. If you believe, then there is hope for the one, true love in your life, and His Name is Jesus.” 

The third Wise Man points to Jesus and says, “The Love of the world was born so that you could live in His Love forever.”

Estrella looks at Baby Jesus and an overpowering sense of peace and joy brightly shines within her.

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.

 

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