The Nativity at This Moment

In Sint Jans' "The Nativity at Night," the birth of the blessed child pulls everything at the center. Brightened it conceals all the other births around it. But without them, what would be of the child?

for Mary was born
for Joseph was born
for the shepherds were born
for the ox was born
for the donkey was born
for the stalks of grains from which the hay came from were born
for the adoring angels around the child were born

and along with them that lone angel shining over the shepherds was born
and the light that shine from him was born.

Everything comes forth when called. This paint. This canvas. This painter. These words. These hands. These eyes.

The nativity comes and becomes
each and every

moment.