The Authors Karine-Marie Amiot, dedicated mother and writer, is the author of many children's books and contributes regularly to children's magazines and newspapers. François Campagnac, a priest passionate about the Bible, enjoys reading and telling Bible stories. He directs pastoral services for children, teens, and young adults in his diocese. Christophe Raimbault, a doctor of theology and a graduate of the French Biblical and Archeological School of Jerusalem, is a parish priest and a youth minister. He writes biblical commentary and teaches at the Catholic Institute of Paris, France. Illustrations Naomikado
"Let the children come to me" (Luke 18:16) Open, listen, see: that is what a true Bible for children invites us to do. The brief, clear texts in this engaging Bible for children convey the beauty and richness of Scripture. Vivid illustrations, rich in color and detail, bring to life the people, places, and events present in God's Word, and historical insights add meaning and context. Read this Bible to your children, or let them read it to you; even the youngest can narrate the pictures! Together, let yourselves be carried along by the spirit and liveliness of these stories. Through the events and heroes of the Old Testament—some well-known, some less familiar—share the extraordinary adventure of this small group of people who walked with God, became his friends, and made a covenant with him. In the New Testament, rediscover Jesus with your children; let them listen to him. Jesus loved to speak to children; his words were meant for them, too. His are words of love, mercy, and joy—words that set the world on fire as the early Church spread throughout the Roman Empire. His words will help us today—to know God and to live together in peace and happiness. The authors
Contents OLD TESTAMENT The Creation of the World (Genesis 1:1–2:4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:4–3:24). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1–16). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6:5–9:17). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 I Understand: Bible Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 12:1–5; 18:1–15; 21:1–7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Joseph and his Brothers (Genesis 41:46–49, 53–57; 42:1–5; 45:4–28). . . . . . . . . . . 29 I Understand: The Fertile Crescent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Moses Saved from the Water (Exodus 2:1–10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Moses and Pharaoh (Exodus 2:11–15, 3:1–14; 5:1–2; 7:14–24; 8–11; 12:1–13, 29–32). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 The Crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14–15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The March through the Desert (Exodus 16; 17:1–9; Numbers 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The Ten Commandments (Exodus 19–20; Deuteronomy 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 The Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1–6; 25:10–22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 The Promised Land (Joshua 1:1–3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 I Understand: The People of Israel in the Desert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 The Trumpets of Jericho (Joshua 6:1–20). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Samson and Delilah (Judges 16:4–31). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Samuel (1 Samuel 3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 I Understand: The Promised Land. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 David and His Brothers (1 Samuel 16:1–13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 David and the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 5:6–10; 6:1–5, 16–19). . . . . . . . . . 68 David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11–12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 David and Solomon (Psalms). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 I Understand: David, a Great King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 The Building of the Jerusalem Temple (1 Kings 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 The Wisdom of Solomon (1 Kings 3:16–28). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
The Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 I Understand: The Temple of Solomon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 The Prophets (1 Kings, 2 Kings, Jeremiah, Hosea, Amos). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Elijah and the Still Small Voice (1 Kings 19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2; 5:1–19) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Jeremiah, Hosea, and Amos (Jeremiah 18:1–11; Hosea 11:1–7; Amos 2:1–8). . . . . 88 The Destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kings 17:5–6; 25:1–21). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 I Understand: The Prophets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Daniel in the Lions’ Den (Daniel 6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 I Understand: The Babylonian Exile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Jonah in the Belly of the Whale (Jonah). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 The Sufferings of Job (Job). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Isaiah and the Promised Savior (Isaiah 9:1–6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 I Understand: Books to Help Us Hope And Pray. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 NEW TESTAMENT The Annunciation (Luke 1:26–38; Matthew 1:18–25). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 The Visit to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39–56). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 The Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1–7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 The Adoration of the Shepherds (Luke 2:8–16). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118 The Adoration of the Magi (Matthew 2:1–12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 I Understand: The Birth of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13–18). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Jesus at Nazareth (Matthew 2:19–21; Luke 2:39–40). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–51). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 The Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:1–17; John 1:35–39). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Jesus in the Synagogue of Nazareth (Luke 4:16–30; 5:1–3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 I Understand: Jesus Begins His Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136 The Call of Peter and Andrew, James and John (Mark 1:16–20). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 The Call of Matthew (Matthew 9:9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
The Rich Young Man (Mark 10:17–22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 The Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36–50). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Peter, the Rock (Matthew 16:13–20; 10:1–15). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–9). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 I Understand: Who Is Jesus?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38–42). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 The Samaritan Woman (John 4:1–15). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The Unfaithful Woman (John 8:1–11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 Jesus and the Little Children (Mark 10:13–16). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156 I Understand: Encounters with Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158 The Our Father (Matthew 6:9–13). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160 The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162 The Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 6:19–21; 7:1–5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164 The Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165 The Sower (Matthew 13:3–9, 18–23). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168 The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3–7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170 The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8–10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171 The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172 The Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:23–35). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 The Two Sons (Matthew 21:28–32). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 The Guests Invited to the Feast (Matthew 22:1–14). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180 I Understand: The Teachings of Jesus 182 The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1–12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184 The Healing of the Leper (Mark 1:40–45). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186 The Healing of the Paralytic (Mark 2:1–12). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 The Storm Is Calmed (Mark 4:35–41). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190 A Girl Restored to Life (Mark 5:21–43). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 The Multiplication of the Loaves (Mark 6:30–44). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Peter Walks on the Water (Matthew 14:22–31). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 The Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21–28). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
The Healing of a Deaf Man (Mark 7:31–37). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46–52). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 I Understand: Illness in the Time of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1–44). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 The Entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1–11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206 The Cleansing of the Temple (Mark 11:15–19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207 The Last Supper (Luke 22:14–20; John 13:1–15, 34). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 The Arrest of Jesus (Luke 22:39–53). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210 The Trial of Jesus (Mark 14:53–72; John 18:28–19:16). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 The Crucifixion (John 19:17–42). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 I Understand: The Death of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218 The Resurrection of Jesus (John 20:1–18). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 The Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Jesus Appears on the Seashore (John 21:1–19). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226 I Understand: The Resurrection of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228 The Ascension and the Choosing of Matthias (Acts 1:6–26). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230 Pentecost (Acts 2:1–11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 The First Christian Communities (Acts 2:42–47; 4:32–35). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234 The Miracle of the Lame Beggar and the Stoning of Stephen (Acts 3:1–10; 6:8–15; 7:1, 51–60) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 I Understand: Proclaiming the Resurrection of Jesus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238 Saul’s Conversion (Acts 9:1–22). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Peter and Cornelius (Acts 10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242 Peter and Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26–31; 11:1–26; 13:1–3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 The Journeys of Paul (Acts 13–14; 15:36–41; 16–21) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 I Understand: The Journeys of Paul. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248 Paul’s Letters and Last Journey (Acts 27–28). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 The Heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 7:9–18; 21:1–4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 I Understand: The First Christians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254 Names of People, Places, and Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Testament Old
Genesis 1:1–2:4 God created the heavens and the earth. He said, “Let there be light!” And there was light! He called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” It was the first day. “God said, ‘Let there be light!’” (Genesis 1:3) The Creationof the World
God made the sky, the land, and the sea. He covered the land with all kinds of plants. He created the sun, the moon, and the stars and placed them in the sky to shine upon the earth. He filled the world with living creatures: first he made the fish in the sea and then the birds of the air. “And there was evening and there was morning.” (Genesis 1:19) 11
From the ant to the elephant, God created all the animals, wild and tame, that live on the land. Finally, God made mankind in his own image. “Your name is Adam,” he said to the first man. “I give you this wonderful garden named Eden. Take care of the plants and rule over the animals.” Not wanting Adam to be alone, God created the first woman. Adam named her 12 Genesis 1:1–2:4
“God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:18) Eve. “Be fruitful and multiply,” God told them. Their life together in the garden was to be full of delights. They would be happy sharing with God all the joy in their hearts. On the seventh day, God saw that everything he had made was good, and he rested. 13
Adam and Eve had everything they needed to be happy forever. God said to them, “Eat any fruit you like, except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat that, you will die.” One day, under that very tree, Eve met a sly serpent, and he tempted her. “Taste this delicious fruit!” he said. “You will not die. You will become like God.” Adam andEve 14 Genesis 2:4–3:24
Eve listened to the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit. She gave some to Adam, and he ate it also. Their disobedience was the first sin. Adam and Eve were afraid that God would be angry with them. So when they heard God’s footsteps drawing near, they hid themselves. “What have you done?” God asked. And he made Adam and Eve leave the garden of Eden.
The wickedness of men spread all over the earth. God saw that Noah was the only good man left. He said to him, “Build a huge boat. I am going to cover the earth with water, and life will begin anew.” Noah’s Ark Genesis 6:5–9:17
Noah built an ark out of wood. Then God told him to gather his family on the ship along with a male and a female of every kind of living creature on the land and in the sky. As soon as all were ready, God closed the door, and rain began to fall. “Come into the ark.” (Genesis 6:18)
The rain fell for forty days and forty nights. It was a flood! Water covered the whole earth right up to the mountaintops, and the ark floated safely upon the waves. After the rain stopped, Noah sent out a dove. Soon it returned with an olive branch in its beak. By this Noah knew that there must be dry land. Genesis 6:5–9:17 20
“ I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.” (Genesis 9:13) Noah let the animals and his family out of the ark. The land was covered with fresh green grass. The earth smelled good. The sun shone, and a rainbow stretched like a bridge between heaven and earth. It was a sign: “God promised there would never again be such a flood,” said Noah. “We will live in peace with him and one another.” 21
I UNDERSTAND... 92 BEING FAITHFUL TO GOD The people living in the land of Canaan before the arrival of the Israelites prayed to the god Baal, a name that means “lord.” He was the god of the storm. The Canaanites believed it was he who made the rain fall on the crops. Every village had its own statue of Baal, and the priests offered him sacrifices. The Israelites were tempted to imitate them and to offer sacrifices to Baal, to commit idolatry. God sent the prophets, to remind his people that they must be faithful to their covenant with him and to receive from God alone whatever they needed. A PROPHET, THE MESSENGER OF GOD A prophet is a person whom God asks to speak in his name. One could not decide on one’s own to become a prophet; it was God who chose someone and called him. A calling from God was often a great surprise for that person, and he would often be afraid he would not succeed. One could not truly love God and be selfish, unjust, or violent toward others. Prophets helped the people to see what was wrong with their lives and how to change their hearts to respond to the love of God. AMOS, A PROPHET OF DOOM? In English, we call someone who predicts terrible events a “prophet of doom.” The prophet Amos spoke harsh words against the wealthy of his land. He reproached them for being merciless to the poor. He told them that one day there would be war and that the people of Israel would be forced to leave their land. THE PROPHETS DID YOU KNOW? Nebuchadnezzar is the name of the king of Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem, but it is also the name of a very large bottle of wine. Other kings from the Bible whose names are used for large bottle sizes are Jeroboam, Rehoboam, Methusela, Salmanzar, Balthazar, Melchior, Solomon, and Melchizedek. Have fun learning about these people, while finding out how much these bottles can contain!
SAMARITANS The prophet Jeremiah preaching In 772 B .C., the king of Assyria invaded Israel, the kingdom of the north . The capital, Samaria, was captured after a three-year siege . According to the custom at the time, part of the population of the kingdom of Israel was deported, meaning that they were forced to leave for different regions of Assyria . Assyrians came and settled in Israel in their place . (This mingling of the two populations would give birth to the people called Samaritans in the New Testament .) 93 Indeed, a few years later, the kingdom of Israel was invaded by the Assyrians, who killed many Israelites and tookmanymore as slaves. That day, people realized Amos had been right! Yet Amos was not a fortune-teller. He simply warned the people that bad actions have bad consequences and invited them to return to God. But they did not listen to him. LEAVING THE PROMISED LAND In 587 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, invaded the kingdom of Judah and captured Jerusalem. The city was looted and set on fire. The Temple was demolished, and a large part of the population was taken by force to Babylon, present-day Iraq. They had to leave the Promised Land and return to slavery. What a tragedy for the people!
The Visit toElizabeth The angel Gabriel had told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was expecting a baby, even though she was too old to bear a child. “Nothing is impossible for God,” the angel had said. Mary went in haste to help Elizabeth, whose child would be John the Baptist. 114 Luke 1:39-56
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped for joy in her womb. “Blessed are you among women!” said Elizabeth. “For the baby you are carrying is the Savior of the world!” Mary smiled and said, “My soul praises God and rejoices in him. His mercy is from age to age.” 115
The Birth of Jesus The Roman emperor ordered a great census to count all the people under his rule. Joseph and Mary set out for Bethlehem, in the land of Joseph’s ancestors. It was almost time for Mary’s baby to be born, and the long journey would be difficult for her. 116 Luke 2:1-7
In Bethlehem, the inn was full. There was no room for Mary and Joseph. So, they took shelter in a stable. That night, baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him up and laid him in the animals’ manger. 117
In the nearby fields, shepherds were watching over their flocks. Suddenly, a great light surrounded them, and an angel said to them, “I bring you news of great joy! The Savior, the promised Messiah, has been born. You will find him lying in a manger.” Then the sky filled with angels singing, “Glory to God!” The Adorationof the Shepherds Luke 2:8-16 118 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace.” (Luke 2:14)
The shepherds found Jesus in a stable, in a manger, just as the angel had said. They fell to their knees in wonder at the child who had come to save all mankind. 119
East from Bethlehem, wise men, called Magi, were watching the sky. Noticing a new star, they believed a new king had been born. The Magi followed the star. They crossed the desert and arrived in Jerusalem, at the palace of King Herod. They asked him, “Where is the new king?” This worried Herod greatly, and he told them to look in Bethlehem. “If you find the new king, let me know! I will go visit him, too.” The Adoration of the Magi Matthew 2:1-12 120
Guided by the star, the Magi traveled to Bethlehem and found Jesus. They offered him precious gifts fit for a king. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back home by another route. 121 “Opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11)
I UNDERSTAND... THE CHRISTMAS STAR The Magi followed a star to find Jesus . Some astronomers say that it might have been a comet or a conjunction of planets . Whatever it was, the Magi believed a new king of Israel had been born . The eastern lands they came from had many Jews living there at one time . Perhaps the Magi had heard about the promised Messiah . 122 GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE God kept his promise to Israel: he sent the Messiah, the Savior of his people and of all mankind. This King was not to be like David or Solomon. He was not born in a palace or even in an ordinary house, but in a stable. Yet his humble birth was accompanied by extraordinary events that revealed God’s presence had come into the world in a new way. THE GOSPELS The New Testament, the second part of the Christian Bible, opens with the birth of Jesus. It begins with the four Gospels, named for their authors, which tell the story of the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The word “Gospel” comes from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning “Good News.” The authors recorded Jesus’ important words and the great moments of his life so that, after they were dead and gone, future generations could come to know Jesus, too. Each Gospel speaks of Jesus and his message in its own way. STRANGE GIFTS! The Magi were wise men who studied the stars. They brought Jesus strange gifts for a newborn baby: gold, incense, and myrrh. Incense, which produces a fragrant smoke when burned, was used in worship throughout the ancient world and is still used in Catholic churches today. Myrrh, also aromatic, was used both as medicine and to prepare the dead for burial. To Christians, these gifts reveal Jesus’ true identity: he is offered the gold of a king, the incense of a god, and the myrrh of mortal man, for, like us, he would suffer and die. THE MANGER A manger holds food for livestock. Mary laid the newborn Jesus in a manger, for there was no room for them in the inn. The French word for manger is crèche, which is the name sometimes given to a Nativity scene with all its little figurines. Saint Francis of Assisi created the first Nativity scene in 1223, with real people and animals. THE BIRTH OF JESUS
The Roman Empire in the time of Jesus DID YOU KNOW? When Jesus was born, the Jews lived under Roman occupation. The Roman Empire stretched all around the Mediterranean Sea. GALLIA (FRANCE) THRACIA CAPPADOCIA HISPANIA (SPAIN) ITALIA (ITALY) GERMANIA (GERMANY) MACEDONIA ACHAEA (GREECE) ASIA (TURKEY) Atlantic Ocean Mediterranean Sea Black Sea MAURETANIA AEGYPTUS (EGYPT) ARABIA SYRIA IUDAEA (PALESTINE-ISRAEL) AFRICA DALMATIA 123
Under the direction of Romain Lizé, President, Magnificat Editor, Magnificat: Isabelle Galmiche Editor, Ignatius: Vivian Dudro Translator: Janet Chevrier, Magnificat - Ignatius Proofreader: Kathleen Hollenbeck Layout Designer: Armelle Riva Layout: Patrick Leleux PAO Production: Thierry Dubus, Audrey Bord
Scripture quotations are from Revised Standard Version of the Bible—Second Catholic Edition (Ignatius Edition) copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Original French edition: La Bible illustrée, racontée et expliquée © 2022 by Mame, Paris © 2023 by Magnificat, New York • Ignatius Press, San Francisco All rights reserved ISBN Magnificat 978-1-63967-043-7 • ISBN Ignatius Press 978-1-62164-646-4
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