We got off the bus in the village of Beit Sahour -- and went to a Franciscan site that was excavated a number of years ago. Byzantine mosaics were found there, and they believe this is the field where the Angel of the Lord announced the birth of the Messiah to the shepherds. We went to a cave that the Franciscans excavated -- a cave that had niches carved into the walls to store items they used in the tending of the sheep and in living their lives int hat day and time. You could imagine what it was like to live in that cave with all those sheep! Is that where the shepherds slept? Is this is place where they stored their food and ate meals together? As was the case at each Holy Site we visited, we read the appropriate gospel reading for the site, sang a hymn and heard a prayer. It was moving to be in that space and imagine what life was like 2,000 years ago.
We went from this cave to the small chapel/church called the Church of the Angel. The tree frescoes on the wall depict the story of the Shepherd's working in the field, their hearing the message of the Angel, and then going and seeing Mary, Joseph and Jesus. The frescoes were gorgeous -- I've posted one here on this blog -- and they moved my spirit. The acoustics in that chapel were perfect -- so perfect, that we stood together and sang Silent Night. I had thought that touching the place where Jesus was born was the ultimate experience for me -- it wasn't. It was singing that wonderful hymn in that perfect place. Why? Because the message of that hymn and the message of the Angel to the Shepherds is the same message we are to hear this night and always -- to us a child is born, to us the Prince of Peace has come -- and WE are to shout -- Glory to God in the heavenly heights, Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.
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