A Dog in the Manger
“’ I want to put Jesus in the manger!”
You did it last year. It’s my turn.”
No, I’m the oldest, I get to do it.”
Well, I’m the youngest, I think I should!”
Maggie grabbed the figure from Jack and accidentally dropped it face down on the hard floor.
“Now you’ve done it,” cried Jack.”’—Jim Simons, A Dog in the Manger and Other Christmas Stories (Rowman and Littlefield, 2015) p 1.
Jim Simons is an Episcopal priest who decides to write and tell a story for his Christmas Eve sermon every year, which eventually now births into this collection of Christmas sermons called A Dog in the Manger. Simons reminds us that Jesus tells stories, and the birth narratives consist of two different stories told by two authors, Luke and Matthew. He reminds us that the Christmas season is a time to tell stories about our roots, parents, and grandparents, and our early lives.
Simon’s stories are entertaining and convey a profound, meaningful message of hope: Jesus’ birth signifies God’s love for each of us. The stories are fiction, but they are no doubt drawn from his life experiences. The book’s title comes from the first story about a puppy whose passion is traveling around town, and bringing home to his new owner, all the baby Jesuses from outdoor nativity displays.
I bought the book a few years ago, when I was preaching more often, looking for material for Christmas sermons. I often preach about Christmas pageants, because I have been involved in so many of them. At least half of Simons’ stories are related to these dramas that consistently add new and unexpected incarnational wisdom to Christmas.
This past year, I have been reading many spiritual nonfiction writings in preparation for this book and two others. As Advent approaches, I know I have been hungry for stories, and serendipitously, this book appears in my stack for Christmas. My goal has been to read at least one story or at least half a story a day, but I cannot put the book down most days. Indeed, perhaps one factor in this craving has been the months I have spent putting reading fiction on hold. A Dog in the Manger is precisely what I needed at the beginning of this liturgical year. I will share it with you if, by chance, you hear a similar call.
Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/