Christmas reflection on animals in the stable

How lovely it always is to see different nativity scenes – Mary, Joseph, the baby in the manger – and then shepherds, kings, maybe angels – if you’re lucky the innkeeper: and then the animals – sheep, often resting at the feet of the shepherd; the cow or ox, looking hungrily into the manger; the donkey, resting after its journey. And sometimes birds nesting up in the eaves of the stable, or, as one of our poems imagined.. mice rustling in the hay.

The accounts from Luke are wonderful – but a bit short on animals. There is the flock, being watched over by the shepherds – but no suggestion that in their ‘haste’ to go to Bethlehem they drive or pick up any of their livestock to go with them. There is no account of the kings or magi – so no chance to catch a glimpse of a camel. There is just the mention of the manger – the animals’ feed trough: which implies there must be animals somewhere.

 

But we love to imagine the animals, to write poems about them, to re-tell the nativity story from the point of view of the animals.

There are even legends that on Christmas Eve farmyard animals of every age of history kneel, in honour of the Christ-child: or even that the animals speak, so that they can tell us the story of the birth of Jesus.

 

The Oxen – Thomas Hardy

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.

“Now they are all on their knees,”

An elder said as we sat in a flock

By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where

They dwelt in their strawy pen,

Nor did it occur to one of us there

To doubt they were kneeling then.

 

So fair a fancy few would weave

In these years! Yet, I feel,

If someone said on Christmas Eve,

“Come; see the oxen kneel,

In the lonely barton by yonder coomb

Our childhood used to know,”

I should go with him in the gloom,

Hoping it might be so

 

It may be fanciful, but I think imagining the animals having a role in the story does a few things for us:

 

Firstly, the animals remind us that this a story about real, honest, ordinary life: and human life  - especially poor human existence - always lives with animals close by. As Jesus grows, animals are part of his world – he uses them in his teaching, features them in his stories, relies on their strength and their help. Jesus is born into a poor, simple, animal-filled world. A real world. Our world.

 

Secondly, the animals help us remember that God’s love shown in Jesus is for the whole world – not just people like us – not even just people – but all of creation. The animals are part of God’s message of good will to the whole earth. God loves the world and all the created order, and comes to show love for every part of creation – and to remind humanity of our part in caring for creation. God loves all creation – and so should we.

 

Thirdly, seeing animals peacefully lying in our manger scenes reminds us of what we might have heard about God’s kingdom – a kingdom where the lion and the lamb will lie down together; a kingdom where sparrows are valued by their creator; a kingdom where the lowest and the least are shown love and care – maybe even those mice in the hay. God’s love is here to change the world for the better, so that all living things can thrive. Including us.

 

This Christmas, if you feel ordinary, or you’re struggling, or you feel forgotten or unimportant, or if you fear that the beautiful world God promises will never come – look at or imagine the animals, and take heart.

 

God is here with us – down among the animals in the straw, showing us what peace on earth really might look like, offering love to every little creature. Even you.

Happy Christmas.

Amen.