The Yearly Tradition
November 15, 2011
Carolina Tavares

The curtain is up. It has begun!

From now until December 18th, volunteer students of Mater Ecclesiae College will become working elves to build the traditional Christmas Room.

Why a curtain? Because the volunteers are preparing a surprise! Up until last year, the Christmas Room was not unveiled until Christmas Eve.  For a whole month, expectation would build. Finally, after Midnight Mass, the curtain would be removed and everyone would file down to the Christmas Room for the first time. This year the Christmas Room will be unveiled on December 18th, for the benefit of the local community.

The Christmas Room is definitely a creative form of coming into contact with the mystery of the Incarnation. It is an experience, a prayer in art form. That is why we have decided to work a little bit faster to have it ready earlier this year. We want to share the experience with our families and friends and anyone who wishes to partake of this original form of prayer.

We invite all our readers to come and experience for themselves what it is to touch and see the mystery of Christmas in a unique way. We invite all the kids who will enjoy finding all the little hidden animals while they see what Christmas is all about. And all those who just enjoy the Christmas spirit, the Christmas Room Viewing will be for you too.

Each person that comes goes away with a different reflection. There are enough symbols integrated into the setup that lend themselves to different interpretations.  For example, two years ago, the whole life of Jesus was somehow part of the Christmas Room. In the little town of Bethlehem there was a carpenter shop (Jesus’ hidden life), a bakery (Jesus’ public life as portrayed in the multiplication of the loaves), the myrrh from the magi represented Jesus’ passion, and a bonfire with fish represented the Resurrection account in John 21. A whole life in just one gaze!

Last year, the design team decided to build the Nativity scene in a cave that gave the impression of the inner chamber of the soul. There was a staircase next to the cave symbolizing how we can go down into our own heart to find Jesus who truly is born within us. Under the staircase there was a stream of water. Some observers took it to be the water of grace that allows us to find Jesus there.  These are some symbols among many. The idea is that these images inspire a reflection and an experience.

For example, the faces and positions of the statues give different messages as well. Some identify themselves with the bewildered shepherd: “How is this possible…God among us?”; others with the little girl wanting to give baby Jesus a kiss; and still others with the young man lost in thought “Who is this baby for me?”. Hopefully by identifying oneself with a character in the Christmas Room, one may realize the point in their own journey to Christ and decide to keep walking along with the shepherds, magi, and animals. 

If you feel you want be part of this yearly MEC tradition, come to a Christmas Room Viewing! In addition to a guided tour of the town of Bethlehem, the MEC choir will be giving a Christmas concert and there will be delicious refreshments to cheer up the day!

Dates:
December 18th 3:00 pm-5:00 pm
December 20th 7:00pm – 9:00 pm
December 28th 7:00pm- 9:00 pm
January 1st 3:00pm-5:00 pm

View flyer here.