Cattle-Shed

Today I visited a lowly cattle shed, although it was nowhere near 'royal David's city', that faraway town of Bethlehem!

One of my friends has a retirement hobby of buying some calves in the Spring, and preparing them for Showing at this time of year.

I visited this year's seven cattle earlier in the year when they were outdoors in one of the fields nearby. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me on that occasion.

At that time the cattle were very nervous of me, which was a surprise. I thought they would be used to humans. My friend explained to me that they knew who he was, but they could tell I was a stranger.

Before the cold weather has arrived, the cattle have been moved up to a nearby farm, where they can shelter indoors during the cold Autumn nights. I went to visit them again today, as part of my ongoing education into rural life. You can see three of them in the photo above, and the rest of them here.

The cattle clearly trust my friend and were no longer afraid of me even although I am still a stranger. One of the heifers even trusted me enough to come trotting over to me to lick my hand and enjoy being stroked.

Most of the cattle will be heading out to the Shows tomorrow. It's the end of their time with my friend. Some may be bought for breeding, and the rest will probably be bought by specialist butchers. My friend must wait to find out whether they will win any prizes.

He was saying today that he is sad that his cattle will move on. He enjoys looking after them, feeding them the best of food, and helping them to grow to fulfil their maximum potential. But he can't continue to keep them.

They were bought for a purpose, and now that purpose has been fulfilled and they must move on.

I feel a little that way about leaving the congregations at Abercorn, Pardovan, Kingscavil, and Winchburgh. I don't want to leave, but my reason for being there has been completed and now I must move on.

Visiting the cattle-shed today, and seeing the cattle standing amongst the straw, reminded me of the Cattle-Shed that forms a part of so many Nativity Scenes. It is usually populated with an Ox and an Ass, but we don't really know what animals may have been there.

Luke is the only Gospel writer that tells us of the surroundings of Jesus' birth at Bethlehem. He tells us that Mary 'laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.' (Luke 2:7, NRSV).

From that one word 'manger' our imaginations have created an entire stable scene, with Ox and Ass, shepherds and sheep, Wise Men with their gifts and camels, a choir of angels, and a Star!

It is a reasonable assumption that Mary travelled on a Donkey or Ass, but we don't know whether she did. A 'manger' implies horses or cattle (oxen), since sheep and goats forage on the ground and don't need a manger. But the animals may have been put out, or the 'stable' might have been disused. There might have been no animals at all.

The manger must have been somewhere sheltered that would have been safer and more comfortable for Mary than giving birth in the open countryside, or in some corner of the town.

That little phrase of Luke's tells us so much about Jesus' birth. Jesus didn't arrive with all the privileges that were due to the creator of the Universe or the Supreme Ruler of the World.

He arrived as a poor person, struggling to find a place in the world, yet living a life full of purpose, accomplishment, and sacrifice.

It's a stark contrast to today's Commercial Christmas.