In this Christmas miniseries, entitled The 3 E’s of Christmas, we are going to take three looks at Christmas. First, Incarnation, where we will explain the faith content of this holiday. Second, is Charm, where we will study the influence of modernity and postmodernity on Christmas. Finally, Listening, where we will formulate some proposals to recover the contemplative capacity.

After exploring in the previous chapters the faith content of Christmas and the influence of modernity and postmodernity on our perception of this holiday, this final chapter addresses the opportunity that Christmas, and specifically the Nativity scene, represents to heal a deep anthropological wound: our inability to contemplate.

The Contemplative Crisis of Postmodernity

We live in an era where the obligation to continually produce and communicate makes it difficult to pause for contemplation. This crisis is not only religious, but also of attention. Worship and contemplation require a commitment of time and attention, something we are increasingly less willing to give in a world that values ​​efficiency and productivity above all else.

Postmodernity has reacted against the excesses of modernity, sacrificing valuable realities for the sake of progress. However, we have maintained the attitude of domination characteristic of modernity, now focused on immediate comfort and pleasure. The digital age inserts reality into a torrent of information and communication that fragments time and attention, leaving everything gray, cold and empty.

The Nativity Scene as a Space for Contemplation

Christmas, and in particular the Nativity Scene, offers us a unique opportunity to recover our contemplative capacity. The representation of the birth of Christ invites us to pause, to look calmly at things that allow us to dialogue with reality and live an excellent life.

The Nativity Scene can awaken in us three key moments of resonance:

1. Openness and Listening: It requires a commitment of time and attention, similar to worship. This attitude allows us to receive the message of the Nativity scene with an open heart.
2. Connection: It is the moment when we are affected by something unprecedented and different from the usual. It can be a moment of scandal or dazzlement, where the mystery of the Nativity scene captivates us and deeply marks us.
3. Communication and Transformation: The connection with the Nativity scene transforms us, changing our perception of the world and of ourselves. It brings us to a different state of mind and to new thoughts, allowing the mystery of Christmas to speak to us and transform us.

The attitude of domination and the technological acceleration of our era have led us to a crisis of love and the spread of addictions. However, Christmas reminds us that we are designed for an eccentric life, open to everything around us. The contemplation of the Nativity scene invites us to rediscover love, the ability to receive and accept, and openness to transcendence.

I invite you to read the nativity scene again, look at the Nativity scene or read Saint Luke 2:1-20 with a disposition of total openness. Let the mystery of Christmas convey its message to you, allowing the resonance to transform your life.