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St. Margaret of Scotland Parish
This beautiful Nativity scene in St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Church helps us draw closer to the God who has taken on our human flesh. Many of the plants, fruits, etc., that surround this scene are still grown in the Holy Land. The following description and explanation was written by Sister Jackie Ketter, CSJ, to help us understand the scene.
The lovely Rachel approaches the Babe, the newborn King of Israel. In
her arms is a basket of fruits--fruits of the Holy Land, blessings of the
Lord of Creation upon His Chosen People! Blessings and welcome to the
tiny Child who will one day praise the lilies of the field, share loaves of the
barley harvest, offer the salvific cup of Israel's vine!
What were the trees and plants, the fruits and flowers that dotted the
hills of Bethlehem, Galilee, Jerusalem, in the days that Mary, Joseph,
Jesus, and Rachel walked there? Like Rachel, we gather the
"apples" of biblical Palestine--be they apricots, citron, quince,
or orange. The trees of the field, the fig, olive, pomegranate, and
date-palm, were blessing of God, gifts of the Lord! Each is a
reminder of the godly person we are called to be, “like a tree
planted by a stream, bringing forth fruit in due season.” (Psalm 1:3)
The poor were daily nourished by figs of the sycamore and grains of the barley fields. Barley and wheat provided bread to be broken and shared by rich and poor alike. “God give you dew from heaven, and the richness of the earth, abundance of grain and wine.” (Gen. 27:28)
The vine and fig became symbols of domestic security and happy family life. The olive signified peace and prosperity.
Rachel, the simple peasant girl, gathers the fruits
of the Land to honor the Lord of Heaven--the God who has come to
earth. She invites us to reflect on the gifts and the Gift that our
God has this day bestowed.
We are His! We belong to Him! He loves us! He is with
us, always and everywhere! The lilies of the field, the trees, the
vines, the fruits, the olives, the almonds, the anemones are all His
Creation! The care, the blessings, the fruitfulness are all our story,
the symbols of His life with us and His love!
As godly persons, may we gather that remembrance in our own baskets and
may it carry us forth to a new and blessed time.
