JMJ

Creche at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Pismo Beach, CA
(c) 2012 On Being Roman Catholic in America

JMJ - Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The Holy Family.  Years ago, and perhaps still today, Catholic school children wrote JMJ across the top of every paper.  The Most Reverend Fulton J. Sheen popularized JMJ as he wrote the initials across the top of the blackboard during his weekly television series.  Once, as he "signed in" as a guest on the popular television show, What's My Line? he wrote JMJ and then his own name.

The Holy Family--Jesus, Mary and Joseph--models the love of the family unit, which instructs us in the perfect Love of our Triune God found in the relationship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  During Christmastide, we are reminded of the formational love of the Christian family, which love, by its example, teaches us to reach out to all "men of good will."  

In establishing the tradition of the nativity scene, St. Francis continues to teach the world about the love of the Holy Family.