Monday evening at Bethlehem, outside the sanctuary doors a little boy played with the figurine of a donkey in the memorial manger scene. I didn’t worry at all because the figurines are close to unbreakable. This year we had placed the manger scene on the lowest table we have, putting it at eye level when a 5-year-old is kneeling down. There was a big crowd of adults walking around this quiet scene of a child deeply involved with a Nativity set.
He seemed oblivious to the hustle and bustle of people coming to find a seat for the Borealis Chorale and Orchestra concert. Four feet above his head all the adult guests were greeting one another, shaking hands, hugging, taking a bulletin, calling to one another, and waving family members to hurry for a place to sit, while down on the floor the world within the manger scene was quiet and peaceful as the little boy made sure the animals had some hay to eat. His delight and attention was focused, and the smile on his face betrayed the joy and fun of the moment.
I could tell the little boy really liked the donkey more than the cow that was also in the manger. Watching his fascination with the animals, and having seen the other children who came to the concert pause and spend some time rearranging the animals put me in mind of the music we heard at the concert on Sunday, which was a marvelous service of praise and wonder at the incarnation of God at Bethlehem of Judah.
I knew that in just a little while the little boy and his mother would be listening to the Borealis Chorale sing my favorite from this year’s concert, John Rutter’s delightful Christmas Anthem Donkey Carol. Each verse of this wonderful carol starts with an exhortation to the donkey.
Donkey riding
over the bumpy road,
Carry Mary,
all with her heavy load;
Follow Joseph,
leading you on your way
Until you find a stable,
somewhere
to rest and stay.
Donkey watching
over the Jesus child,
See the baby,
all with his mother mild;
Hear the angels
singing their song on high:
‘Nowell, nowell, nowell,’
their caroling fills the sky.
Donkey waking
all at the break of day,
See, a new light
shining with brightest ray.
Long the weary journey
you soon must start,
But you will travel gladly;
God will make brave
your heart.
John Rutter has given us a whimsical entrance into contemplating the simplicity and earthiness of the divine birth. And the donkey is such a good choice. Whose heart doesn’t find a special affection for this humble beast of burden with ears too long and a reputation for stubbornness? The final verse is my favorite as it invites us to imagine the joy in the stable as the animals become the first witnesses of God’s arrival.
Donkey skip for joy
as you go your way;
Alleluia, Jesus is born today.
Hark, the bells ring out
with their message clear:
Rejoice and sing that Christ
our Savior divine is here.
John Rutter
The last verse of this carol is also John Rutter’s way of foreshadowing the next journey the donkey would be called upon, to carry Mary and child as they would flee as refugees from their homeland. And so it is that this image of the donkey with Mary riding upon it into Bethlehem to stay in a stable, and then Mary and Jesus fleeing Bethlehem to find asylum in Egypt is part of the story of the divine concern for humility and vulnerability. That the divine was born in homelessness, and was still an infant when he became a refugee, are part of God’s way of reminding us where we will find Jesus this Advent season, and indeed throughout the year. Pray for the homeless and the refugee this season. They are near to God’s heart, and God is near to them.
Each month a member of the Cook County Ministerium will offer Spiritual Reflections. This month our contributor is Reverend Mark Ditmanson of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.
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