Years ago in a small European town a visitor noticed that on one of the streets when the citizens of the town walked by a certain wall they would nod and make the sign of the cross. As he stood there and watched he observed that they all did this. He became curious about the practice and began to ask around. But no one could tell him what it meant. Finally, he obtained permission to investigate the wall. He began to chip away layers of paint and dirt. He discovered underneath them a beautiful mural of Mary and her baby. People had always made the sign of the cross as they passed by that painting even after it was covered over. They had passed on the tradition, though the reason for it had been lost.1

Remove some of the things in which we dress Christmas and there beneath the surface you c…