Come to the Manger: A Cribbing We Will Go
By Janet Forbes
Scripture Verse: “The true light, which enlightens everyone, is coming into the world.” (John 1: 9)
It is mid-December of the year 1223. In a natural cave, the monk, Francis, prepares a manger filled with hay. There is a mother and a father. Alongside is an ox and a donkey. After the lighting of candles and much singing, Francis speaks about the nativity of Jesus in Bethlehem.
Thanks to St. Francis, the crèche has become a family activity. Children like to arrange the figures of Mary and Joseph in the stable. The shepherds are moved closer to the stable each day in anticipation of the birth. In some families, baby Jesus remains hidden until Christmas morning, when the children discover him in the manger. Sometimes the wise men begin their approach toward Bethlehem after the star appears, arriving at the stable on Epiphany. You might keep the ancient custom of “cribbing”, visiting the manger scenes of other families. The “crib” is another name for the manger, the feeding trough that becomes the first cradle for the baby.
Make sure that your family has a nativity set on the coffee table or under the tree. If you have small children, make sure they have a nativity set to play with, even if Jesus gets lost under the sofa, or the donkey loses an ear, or Elsa, Anna, and Olaf join the shepherd visitors.
Everyone comes to the manger at Christmas. This is the portrayal of a human family. And somehow, in the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, our lives are illumined.
Prayer: O God, prepare our hearts to receive the Grace found in a Christmas crib. Amen.
Janet Forbes, is the Senior Minister at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch and the Board Chair of the Colorado Council of Churches
