I just found a site called The Clay Rosary Girl (thanks Amy), and there I found a post called Vision of the Nativity. I had chills.
According to Clay Rosary Girl, the background story is that Saint Bridget of Sweden made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. When she reached the birthplace of Jesus, she knelt down to kiss the very spot where Jesus was born. This was when the room disappeared and she had this vision...
"When all things were now ready, the Maiden knelt down with great awe and began to pray. She turned Her back to the manger, but lifted Her face towards Heaven and looked to the East. And with hands uplifted and Her eyes towards Heaven she knelt without moving, wrapped in divine sweetness.
"While She was thus absorbed in prayer, I saw That which was in Her womb move, and in a moment She gave birth to Her Son.
On other accounts of her vision, it has been written that Saint Bridget saw a light pass through Mary's womb at the moment Jesus was born. He lay on the ground pure and clean, free of any soil.
Saint Bridget's vision continues...
"And so much light went from Him that the taper in the stone wall no longer gave any light...
"But when the Maiden felt that She delivered, She bent Her head and folded Her hands, and with great awe She adored the Child and said to Him: 'Welcome, my God, my Lord, and my Son!"
"Then the Boy wept and trembled with cold on the hard floor, and stretched out His little hands to His Mother, and She took Him up and laid His cheek against Hers, and Him to her breast with joy and great compassion.
"And She sat down on the floor and laid Him on Her knees and began to swathe Him first with the linen cloths and then with the woolen pieces, and at last, wound the whole about His little body, legs and arms in one swaddling cloth, and swathed His head in the two woolen pieces that She had brought with Her.
"St. Joseph threw himself upon his knees, adoring the Child and weeping for joy. And in the Virgin there was no weakness as in other women when they are delivered. She stood up with the Child in Her arms, and She and Joseph laid Him in the manger and adored Him with great joy. And then I heard wonderful sweet singing of many Angels.
Saint Bridget's vision continues...
"And so much light went from Him that the taper in the stone wall no longer gave any light...
"But when the Maiden felt that She delivered, She bent Her head and folded Her hands, and with great awe She adored the Child and said to Him: 'Welcome, my God, my Lord, and my Son!"
"Then the Boy wept and trembled with cold on the hard floor, and stretched out His little hands to His Mother, and She took Him up and laid His cheek against Hers, and Him to her breast with joy and great compassion.
"And She sat down on the floor and laid Him on Her knees and began to swathe Him first with the linen cloths and then with the woolen pieces, and at last, wound the whole about His little body, legs and arms in one swaddling cloth, and swathed His head in the two woolen pieces that She had brought with Her.
"St. Joseph threw himself upon his knees, adoring the Child and weeping for joy. And in the Virgin there was no weakness as in other women when they are delivered. She stood up with the Child in Her arms, and She and Joseph laid Him in the manger and adored Him with great joy. And then I heard wonderful sweet singing of many Angels.
May your Christmas joy and adoration last the whole year through.
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