21 December 2012
One of the contributors has willingly offered the Christmas Swatch (as well as the Advent part which was put up earlier) for the e-devotion site on sdb.org.
Click on the Christmas 'card' on the left and spend some time with these simple, practical little prayerful moments.
Then click on the poinsettia, and find out where it got its Christmas connection from!
THE MIRACLE OF
THE POINSETTIA!
Couldn't
resist this one:
...When the kids in
kindergarten had
finished singing,
"Silent Night",
they were told the story
of the Nativity.
The children were asked
to make a drawing of the
scene as they thought
it might look. After a
little while, the
teacher passed among
them to
see how they were doing.
She stopped at one
little boy who had
nearly finished. She
complimented
him on his drawing of
Joseph and Mary and the
baby in the manger, but
noticed a fat roly-poly
figure set to one side.
"Who is that?" she
asked. "It's Round John
Virgin", the boy
replied.
At Christmas in Mexico, most houses
display the Poinsettia. Just as we
have Holly, Misletoe and the Christmas
Tree, the Mexicans have the
poinsettia. They believe that the
beautiful plant brings a blessing
that will last all year. The tradition
has existed since 1834 when a
miracle occurred in a tiny village.
In those days it was customary for
people in the villages to take gifts
to the Baby Jesus at Christmas Eve.
Little Maria, a poor peasant girl
had no gift, but she did so want to
enter the church and see the Baby
Jesus in His crib.
She stood outside, watching others as
they entered, carrying their
gifts. Some took food, some took
crochet and lacework. Others carried
flowers. But little Maria had nothing.
One lady passed her with a huge
bundle of flowers in her arms. As she
walked by, a leaf fell from the
enormous bunch and landed at Maria’s
feet. She picked it up and
thought, “I will take this leaf”.
Others saw Maria pick up the leaf and
smiled as she carefully wrapped
it in her small handkerchief. And
then, clutching her tiny gift, Maria
entered the church. She took her place
at the end of the line of people
waiting to make their offerings. Then
at last, it was Maria’s turn. She
stretched out her arm and carefully
opened her fingers to place the
leaf on the altar in front of the
crib.
There was a gasp from the adults who
had seen Maria fold the leaf into
her tiny handkerchief. For as her
fingers separated, it was seen that
the little peasant girl was now
holding a beautiful flower. The
miraculous bloom was formed like a
star with brilliant scarlet leaves
Word of the miracle spread quickly
through the church and people fell
to their knees. The gift of the
Poinsettia came to be known as “The
Flower of the Holy Night”
