The Catholic Writers Guild

The Manger in Our Hearts

Hark! Do you hear the bells softly ringing out in the distance? It’s an echo for now, reverberating through time and space, but soon it will grow into a chime of jubilation, heard the world over. Indeed, in four weeks, these (metaphorical and literal) bells will announce the birth of Our Lord, the Word becoming flesh, eternity growing in the womb of time. Infinity commingling with the finite.

Let’s rejoice because today marks the first Sunday of Advent! The greatest drama in history will play out in our souls over and over until the end of times. Let us set the scene.  

Do you see the manger in that cave down yonder? It is filled with hay, made warm by the breath of the animals that graze on it. No babe lies in it yet, but, o, how my heart expands at the goodness of Our Lord, who arranged to be born among poor beasts of burden. Do they know they’re about to partake in the greatest drama of history? What say you, sheep and cows? How about you, donkey? Rejoice in your Creator!

The cave itself is damp, frigid, and dark, paralleling hearts darkened by sin. It is no dignified place for the poorest among us, least of all a king. But it matters not, for He came as an example to us. He became little so that we may become big and surpass the limitations of our nature. Rejoice!

Look up. What is that? A wondrous sight. A constellation of angels, envy of the stars, adorn the skies. Their voices enchant, though in the hearts of the shepherds they cause fright. Rejoice!

O let’s not forget the poor frightened shepherds! Some lean on their elbows around a fire, taking turns watching the flock, while others sleep huddled against the cold. The bleating of the sheep can be heard here and there. A soft rustle in the grass. All is calm and far too bright. Are the stars brighter than usual? As twilight turns to night, the stars not only grow brighter, but they seem to be zipping about. One of the shepherds rubs his eyes and then widens them in shock. Alas, what does he see but a star standing before him! “The stars are falling,” he shouts, rousing his fellows. “Gather the sheep.” He has never seen an angel.

In other parts of the empire, men of good will are filled with inexplicable joy, though they understand it not. The wicked look around with suspicion, as if sensing justice close at hand. Rejoice for salvation will soon be here!

A strange change has come over nature. Flowers blossom in the cold of winter. Grass pokes up through the frost. The birds twitter and chirp and warble in excitement. Lo, even the sun shines with blinding vibrancy. The constellations twirl and wink in the sky, as players performing the entry song to an anticipated drama. The spheres spin out a melody, the ode. 

All these signs the young pregnant wife of a poor carpenter sees mystically. She and her husband have been on a journey that will change the course of history, and this is no clichéd saying. They have suffered much on their way to the cave, but at the end of it, they will kiss the face of God. 

What’s our role in all this? It is this: we have four weeks to help this young wife make a home of the cave. Start a fire. Dust off the cobwebs. Make a bed out of hay. Are our hearts ready to become mangers? Are we ready to serve the Handmaiden?

Just as creation groans in labor pangs, so do our hearts groan with yearning for the One who can make them fuller. So we wait for Him. Indeed, Advent is a time of waiting; it is a time of hope when suffering is felt most keenly. It is a time of reflection, forgiveness, and above all, love.

Particularly, it is a time to remember that He made himself small for our sake. Can there be a greater act of love than infinity reaching out to us? All He asks us in return is to build him a manger in our hearts.

Copyright 2022 Gema Guevara
Image: The Nativity, Lorenzo Monaco, Wikimedia Commons

Gema Guevara

Gema Guevara is passionate about Catholic fiction, poetry, philosophy, and all things leading to the pursuit of truth. She currently resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with her husband and family.