Joanna Zeiner

A Miracle for Angelo: Finding Hope in the Story of the Manger Joanna Zeiner

The Christmas season brings with it images of the nativity scene scattered across lawns and adorning Christmas cards. Unfortunately, these images have become so commonplace that the real meaning is often obscure. The manger scene is a profound statement God has made in our lives-and it is a truth discovered by a stone craftsman named Angelo.

The setting is Christmas 1223, in Greccio, Italy. Angelo's faith in the goodness of God shatters when he is confronted with a crisis that shakes him deeply and leaves him feeling betrayed by God. He finds peace only when he receives a fresh revelation of the ultimate message of the manger.

How can faith withstand the storms of pain and disillusionment?

Angelo discovers that, in fact, doubt cannot remain when we catch sight of the ultimate grace of God. This story sweeps across time and space into our own lives as we face crises of faith-each uniquely our own yet each universally similar.