“The Nativity: From the Gospels of Matthew and Luke,”
by Ruth Sanderson
Eerdmans Press, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010, 26 pages, Grades K-6.
Original sin was brought about by the sinful disobedience to God’s commands by our first parents, Adam and Eve. In addition to losing many graces, death entered the world.
Modern people do not like to talk about the effects of original sin because it is either too depressing or because they don’t believe that it exists. If the 20th century teaches us anything, it teaches us that mankind is not perfect and needs God’s graces to overcome tendencies toward sin and selfishness. Though many continue to blindly deny it, this history is proof that humanity has a fallen nature.
Having stated the obvious, what is needed to help people reach God? The answer is again obvious. We cannot overcome the chasm caused by our rebellion against God without divine assistance. Because of this, God must intervene in human history. So, as Saint Paul tells us: “But when time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that you might receive adoption as sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying “Abba! Father!” So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then an heir.” (Galatians 4: 4-7)
The first great chapter in the Father’s plan of redemption is the Nativity, the birth of Jesus Christ. Ruth Sanderson has drawn a gorgeous picture book based on the Infancy Narratives of St. Matthew and St. Luke. The name of this lovely book is “The Nativity: From the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.”
Sanderson combines the Infancy Narratives of St. Matthew and St. Luke into one complete story of Our Lord’s birth. She begins this commonsense approach with a touching picture of St. Luke’s account of the Annunciation. In the second picture Sanderson paints Mary after she has given her “fiat,” or verbal acceptance of the Angel Gabriel’s message.
Next, readers are graced with the beautiful story of St. Joseph taking Mary to Bethlehem for the census. The artist then paints the birth of Jesus with the Holy Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger. In the succeeding paintings, Sanderson skillfully blends the shepherds visiting the Infant Jesus and the visit of the Three Kings.
After the Three Kings depart, King Herod realizes that he has been tricked by the Magi and sends his brutal assassins to kill the Christ Child and all the boy children of Bethlehem under 2 years of age. But before this can happen, Sanderson paints holy Saint Joseph leading the Blessed Mother and the Holy Child on the flight into Egypt. The book concludes with the Holy Family returning to Nazareth and Jesus “increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” (Lk 2:52)
I can’t encourage you strongly enough to purchase this book for your family. The reviewer does quibble with Sanderson’s use of the 1611 King James translation of the Bible because it downplays the holiness of Mary. Whereas traditional Catholic bibles are based on St. Jerome’s famous Vulgate bible translation (420 A.D) in which the Archangel Gabriel addresses Mary as “gratia plena” or full of grace, the King James translation uses the rather lame expression of “favored woman.” Full of grace and favored woman do not mean the same thing.
Having said that, Sanderson has done everyone a great service with this stunning book. I would encourage you to buy this book for your family and read it to your children. The paintings draw readers into the Infancy Narratives and will enrich your Christmas season. I hope you and your family will enjoy this book as much as I did. God Bless!
