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Author Topic: Why Was Jesus Born? Fun Tidbit For Your Family's Luke 2 Re-enactment
Scott R
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We've found, in our various years of reading the Christmas story, that it helps to talk about WHY Jesus was born, rather than just that he was.

For me, that means quoting from Mormon scripture, especially Alma 7:12:

quote:
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

We like to gather everyone together, and bring the lights down kind of low with just a little bit of candlelight. Lots of giggling and wiggling ensues; we just go with it. Sometimes, we get reverence; sometimes we just get through it. We talk about the reasons we believe Christ is important to us; and then we let the kids act out the story as they remember it.

We've found that talking about why he was born, and what his birth, life and death means to us, helps our whole family-- not just the children-- appreciate Christmastime more.

A couple years ago, we got involved in doing a...hmmm... I think it's called a posada. Where we followed two people representing Mary and Joseph around the neighborhood as they looked for a place to stay. That was lots of fun; I'd love to do something like that every year...

Let me be clear-- I'm not interested in proselyting. I'm interested in hearing what other people do to remember the why of Christ's birth, according to their various religious beliefs.

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pooka
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My sister's family had us over for a family night in which we did three re-enactments of the birth of Jesus. The first one went along with the Nativity song (which covered everything I thought mattered) but someone got it in their head they wanted to follow the star, so we did it again, and then someone thought since we'd done two, we should do Samuel the Lamanite.

For those not familiar, Samuel the Lamanite was a prophet sent to call on the Nephite people in the Book of Mormon to repent and that the birth of Christ would be fairly soon. The Nephites tried to kill him and shot arrows at him as he stood on the wall of the city but none hit him. Then he jumped down from the wall and ran off, never to be heard of again.

The funny part happened the following sunday after church when my 11 year old said "The Primary song lies!" because it depicts Samuel being greeted with shouts of Hosanna rather than boos and arrows.

Well, just thought I'd share. Also, we don't have any babies this side of the country so for some reason we used a white teddy bear that my youngest has been calling "Jesus" ever since.

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Jon Boy
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Unfunniest.
Dobie.
Ever.

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Farmgirl
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My family doesn't do much, since we were raised in a household that didn't celebrate Christmas, so I have no family "traditions" to carry on, or that I feel obligated to.

However, we all (myself and my 3 kids) very much enjoy being part of the church choir Cantata this time of year. That one musical worship service at church is really the highlight of the season for us.

We've been to two different candlelight services this year already. Those are always very moving.

Yeah, I think the music is what sticks with me the most as we celebrate.

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SenojRetep
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For several years now we've celebrated Advent with some of the families from our ward her in Boston. The four Sundays prior to Christmas Day we get together for a meal, candle lighting, some scriptural readings and then singing various carols. It's a wonderful tradition that got started in our ward because of two members who parents were Lutheran (Finnish and German).

My favorite scripture to share during the Christmas season is Ether 12:41
quote:
And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.

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kmbboots
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Our Director of Faith Formation tells a wonderful story (it is much better the way he tells is, but bear with me):

God call the angels together and says, "I need to be closer to my people. I need to really reach them. Anybody got any ideas?"

So the angels came up with the plan that God would become Incarnate. He would be born as a child and live among His people telling as many of them as would hear about Love.

God said, "Good plan. Risky, but Love often is. Who do you think would be a good choice to bear me into the world?"

And the angels thought about it and decided that the very best person for this job was Mary. They sent Gabriel to ask her. (Gabriel is very charming and not too scary - for an angel.) And all the multitude of the heavenly host crowded round the edge of the clouds and held their breath, as they waited to see what Mary would say.

"What is she saying?" "Shhhh, I'm trying to listen." "He's just now talking to her - she looks upset" "Oh, oh." "Come on, Mary, you can do it."

And Mary said, "Let it be done unto be according to your word." And all the angels started cheering and high-fiving each other and doing victory dances.

Now the important question to ask is what are the angels waiting for you to do? Will you answer, "yes" to the waiting angels? How do you bring God into the world?

In case any of you were wondering. This (as far as we know) is not a factual or historical story. I think that it has some truthiness, though.

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pooka
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I like that, km. I've often thought of the morning I was saved as letting God into the stable of my life -- straw, oxen and all.
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Eduardo_Sauron
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My religion (Kardecist Spiritist) believes that Jesus, as others before (and maybe after) him is a very advanced spirit, advanced enough that he didn't need do reincarnate in this plane again. So, he was very close to perfection (A.K.A. God). He took upon himself the burden of living here, in Earth again, so he could teach us and usher mankind into a more advanced state of being.
Did he succeed? Hard to tell... we can't know how the world would be without him.

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kmbboots
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"We are celebrating the feast of the Eternal Birth which God the Father has borne and never ceases to bear in all eternity... But if it takes not place in me, what avails it? Everything lies in this, that it should take place in me."

Meister Eckhart

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pooka
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I went and read up on Kardec Spiritism, Eduardo, interesting stuff.
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Farmgirl
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quote:
Originally posted by Eduardo_Sauron:
My religion (Kardecist Spiritist) believes that Jesus, as others before (and maybe after) him is a very advanced spirit, advanced enough that he didn't need do reincarnate in this plane again. So, he was very close to perfection (A.K.A. God). He took upon himself the burden of living here, in Earth again, so he could teach us and usher mankind into a more advanced state of being.

I began to say that sounded similar to Ba'hai beliefs. But I went and read up more, and I guess they aren't as alike as my first read of this made me think...
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Scott R
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One of my prized memories from my mission was when we went to midnight mass at the duomo in Milan. It was my last month as a missionary. So, at the end of the ceremony, when we turned and wished goodwill to the people around us-- it was a very powerful experience for me.

I'm a little saddened that that sort of thing doesn't take place in a Mormon church; it was one of the most beautiful, spiritual experiences I ever had.

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ketchupqueen
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I have fond memories of Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve from my childhood, myself. My dad wasn't all that religious (raised Catholic and considers himself "cuturally Catholic", although he was a little more into attending Mass when we were kids) but he always loved Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and I liked it too-- it seemed so JOYOUS. Same reason I loved Easter Sunday with the trumpets growing up in the Presbyterian Church-- every word said or sung that day was always joyful.
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Belle
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We talk about it, and we read from the Bible on Christmas Eve before we go to bed. I like to sit in the front room, with the only lights being those from the tree itself and read from the Bible (thank you clip-on book lights!)

Since I'm a childrens choir director, our whole family is always involved in our musical Christmas celebration which is a couple of weeks before Christmas.

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C3PO the Dragon Slayer
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Formally, my family reads Luke 2 every Christmas morning.

Informally, I start conversations about analyzing the nativity story on Christmas Eve. Some interesting points are brought up and it feels much more fun and enriching to really understand the scripture rather than simply read it. Its amazing how many misconceptions leak into every depiction of the story that are not mentioned at all in the Bible, but wrongly inferred from it. Take the star in the sky, for example, that shone to indicate the coming of Christ. The wise men came from the East, and yet they say in the book of Matthew (I think) "We saw his star in the east and we have come to worship him" (this varies by translation, though the star is always in the east). They did not FOLLOW the star, but they saw the star in the east (as the Earth rotates, stars rise in the east) and recognized it as the sign of the coming of a newborn king, and knew from Jewish scriptures that they would find him in the Town of David.

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Launchywiggin
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I've got enough trouble trying to figure out why I was born.
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Scott R
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You were born to serve me. I need some delicious orange juice.

:waves hands dismissively:

Go. Serve.

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pooka
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I could be wrong, but greeting your neighbor is part of every Catholic Mass I've attended. Though the majority of Masses I've attended are around Christmastime, but I am pretty sure I went to one Thanksgiving weekend last year.
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kmbboots
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Yup. The Sign of Peace. It actually happens before communion and is not so much a greeting as a rite. We need to be in communion with each other to be in communion with God. This is a reminder of that. We tend to get carried away with it at our parish. Lots of hugging and kissing to everyone within reach.

We do greet each other at the beginning of Mass.

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BlackBlade
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quote:
We tend to get carried away with it at our parish. Lots of hugging and kissing to everyone within reach.
*runs off to attend mass at Ms. Boots' parish*
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kmbboots
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You would be most welcome.
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BlackBlade
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quote:
Originally posted by kmbboots:
You would be most welcome.

Just so we are clear on protocols, is this two kisses, one for each cheek? [Big Grin]
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MattP
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On the lips, dude. But no tongue.
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kmbboots
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Usually.
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BlackBlade
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quote:
Originally posted by kmbboots:
Usually.

Does anybody push the envelope so to speak?
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kmbboots
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I was just teasing. As far as I know, there is no necking during the sign of peace.
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ketchupqueen
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In the parish I used to occasionally visit it was usually hand-shaking, back patting or hugging if you knew people well (or if you were a cute kid, sometimes head-patting from the older folk) and "Peace be with you!" said enthusiastically and with a big smile.
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kmbboots
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My vision is also somewhat skewed as I am in the choir where we generally know the person sitting next to us. I don't imagine that newcomers are forced to endure embraces from strangers.
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Dagonee
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quote:
As far as I know, there is no necking during the sign of peace.
I wish Hatrack had sigs.

Greeting before Mass is parish-specific, at least in Virginia. The sign of peace is universal.

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Flaming Toad on a Stick
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The Sign of Peace is slightly different in my parish. The priest offers his hands to the altar boys or girls, and they walk down the isle, offering their hands to the people on the central end of the pews. They then offer their hands to the person sitting next to them, and it spreads throughout the church.
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BlackBlade
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quote:
Originally posted by kmbboots:
I was just teasing. As far as I know, there is no necking during the sign of peace.

Drat...looks like I will remain a faithful Mormon [Wink]

I also agree with Dag that it's unfortunate hatrack does not support forum sigs.

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kmbboots
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[Smile]


Ah, yes. I should have been more specific. The "we" in "we do greet each other..." referred to my parish, not Catholics in general. Some do; some don't.

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stihl1
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Getting back to why Jesus was born. He was born to sacrifice Himself, thus making man worthy of heaven and to live in the presence of God. Without that, there would be no chance at heaven or to live in the presence of God. He had to become man, and sacrifice Himself. Because only a divine sacrifice was powerful enough to wash away the stain of original sin.

He was born to fulfill the law.

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Annie
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I'm actually putting together a lesson on this same vibe. We actually ran out of Gospel Doctrine lessons in the manual this year, so I'm going back and preparing lesson 3.

But I like the concept of linking traditional stories to real things we should do in our life. So to answer the "why was Jesus born?" question, we're reading and discussing from 1 Nephi 11, Mosiah 3:1-13, and Mosiah 15, emphasizing Mosiah 3:13 and Mosiah 15:15-17 as examples of our personal obligation. The angels proclaimed peace and goodwill to men - it is up to up to go and do likewise.

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Tatiana
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Annie!!!!

Good to see you. [Smile]

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Scott R
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quote:
Getting back to why Jesus was born.
Actually, the thread topic was "What do you do to help remember the why at this time of year?"

If you're going to get us back on track and all...

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