18-December-2007 -- Catholic World News Brief
Vatican Creche Will Show Baby Jesus in Nazareth
Vatican, Dec. 17, 2007 (CWNews.com) - In a break from tradition, the life-sized crèche in St. Peter's Square will show Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in their home at Nazareth rather than in a stable in Bethlehem, the Vatican has announced.
Instead of the familiar scene of the Baby Jesus laid in a manger, the Vatican's Nativity scene this year will show the infant Jesus in a home that also includes his father's workshop. No reason has been given for the change. The crèche will include many of the same figures that have been used in the Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square for the past 25 years. Several new statues have been added this year, however.
The Christmas crèche, located in the center of St. Peter's Square, was introduced to the Vatican in 1982 at the suggestion of Pope John Paul II. The Nativity scene, which is currently under construction, is unveiled after midnight Mass on Christmas eve.
Okay talk radio is all a buzz with this...why is this so hard to understand?
In a world today where there is such a high rate of single family homes they are trying to promote a family life.
When you look at how the Church has treated the story in general, Joseph has always been a background figure-must as Mary was before the church had to deal with matriarchical pagans-he is there as a plot advancer and that's pretty much that's it.
He is there to marry Mary, to get her to Bethlehem, and to get them out to Egypt. That's it! Where is he in the later stories? Where is he in Jesus' life? NO where.
My guess is you will also be seeing more teachings coming out that will begin to deal with Joseph's role in the stories.
This is the way the church works...it changes things to suit its needs....that's why you have to take the bible with a grain of salt and wonder what they kept out.
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