Can You Be A Manger?

Before Christmas is over and we put away the creche until next year, I wanted to share a poem one of my directees sent me titled How to Be a Manger .

This Christmas I pray for you that you will be a manger.

I pray that you will be empty—
Empty of all the clutter and distraction of life,
Empty to receive the newborn Christ.

I pray that you will be sturdy—
Sturdy to bear your personal and secret burdens,
Sturdy to bear the presence of God within.

I pray that you will be soft inside—
Soft inside for the healing embrace of yourself & others,
Soft inside to give God a place in peace.

I pray that you will be still—
Still to attend to the cry of the poor
Still to attend to the whisper of God’s prompting voice.

I pray that you will be ready—
Ready to receive whatever God’s gifts for you,
Ready to use your gifts for whatever God’s call to you.

This Christmas I pray for you—
That you will be a manger.

Update: I had been told that this poem was written by Barbara Germiat. However, I learned from a comment from Ms. Germiat that the poem is not hers, but is rather based on her poem by that name.  With her permission, here is the original:

On How to Be a Manger

Be empty
Be sturdy
Be soft inside
Be still
Be ready.

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