by Nancy Linenkugel
Contributor
Over the Christmas holidays I was playing the organ at a parish church and so didn't pay much attention to the manger scene in the front. Then on the feast of the Epiphany I didn’t play for Mass anywhere, so I went to another church. My preferred side in that church just happened to be the side where the manger scene was located, eclipsing the side altar.
So as I knelt in quiet readying prior to Mass, I looked at the manger scene. The wooden structure for the stable was symmetric and featured a rectangular area covered by a peaked roof. The stable itself was divided into three sections. The center section featured the Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus figurines. Each side area had a spacious pen for animals, including a large donkey figurine on one side and a large cow figurine on the other, plus a number of sheep in the two pens.
I peered more closely at the left side. What is that in there? More congregants had arrived and some were seated in front of me, so I was bobbing from side to side to keep focused on the manger. Again, I think, “What is that in the animal pen? Hmmm, let's see, there's the obligatory herald angel with the ‘Gloria in Excelsis Deo’ banner. Check. There are several shepherd figurines. Check. There are three kings and one camel figurine. Check. So what was that other figurine? What didn't I account for?”
From where I was sitting, the unfamiliar figurine looked like a lion. But that couldn't be correct. This wasn't a manger scene with a jungle motif. I leaned to the side to get a clearer view – and then I saw it clearly. It's not a lion. It's a border collie! It was in the pen with several sheep figurines. The collie is sitting upright, just like a real dog would be, with its mouth slightly open in an eager, “I'm ready” pose.
This collie had an uninterrupted line of sight to baby Jesus. The contrast with all the other figurines was striking, since each of them was in a bowed, adoring, prayerful position with hands folded. Even the powerful Magi were bent in homage. But not the border collie. It was alert, focused on baby Jesus, and ready to spring into action. One could almost imagine the collie thinking to itself, "It took me a long time to round up the sheep to get everyone in here. I suppose when you get bigger you'll be out in the field scattering the sheep and I'll have to round you up, too."
For many of us, the Christmas manger scene focused on a tiny Jesus is a stretch to connect to Easter and his redemptive love through passion, death and resurrection. For the first time, though, I'm making the connection, thanks to the border collie figurine. The collie brings several scripture images to mind, such as:
The Good Shepherd. Surely, Christ would have a border collie assisting with finding lost sheep.
"Keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength. . . ." (Lk 21:36) The border collie figurine is poised to act. The collie is a doer, a protector and truly an action figure.
"I no longer call you servants – I call you friends instead." (Jn 15:15) What dog isn't a friend to its owner? Dogs are eager to please and deserve the "man's best friend" designation.
"Could you not watch with me one hour?" (Mt 26:40) Is there any doubt about who wouldn't get drowsy and fall asleep at the time of the master's greatest need?
Yes, this manger scene is for everyday of the year.
[Sr. Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio.]