He had an eternity to prepare the nursery, and this is what he came up with. He was King of Kings , yet this was his choice for a royal bedroom. The “Holy, holy, holy,” “Lord of hosts,” pictured in Is. 6 as the one whose robe train fills the temple, sits on a throne “high and lifted up” and whose glory fills “the whole earth,” made his entrance in a cold, stone manger.
I’ve moved into the second “week” or section of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. The focus of the first week was purgation and conversion-coming to grips once again with my great sin and God’s great love. The focus of this second week is illumination and discipleship. It is spent in readings and meditations focused on the life of Christ.
And what caught me almost immediately as I centered my thoughts on the life and ministry of Jesus was the manger. What a stunning way to start a life and a ministry! And I wondered, “What would it mean for me to adopt the manger as a paradigm for following Jesus?” “What does Jesus want to tell me about the way my own life and ministry must be more manger-like?” “What would it mean for me to climb into a manger, not just carry a cross?”
By means of the manger, Jesus drew near to the brokenhearted and those he wished to serve. How might I better draw near to others in a manger-like way?
By means of the manger, Jesus became accessible and available. How might I better become accessible and available in a manger-like way?
By means of the manger, Jesus communicated to sinful people that he wanted to be near them. How might I communicate the same thing?
By means of the manger, Jesus began in a small and unassuming way. How might I better value the small and unassuming ways of God in my life and ministry?
What about you? What does the manger say to you?
