J.M.J.

AT THE MANGER

THOSE WHO CAME TO PAY HOMAGE TO BETHLEHEM

SAW THE CHILD BORN TO MARY, THE SAVIOR OF MEN.

ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT AMONG THOSE WHO CAME,

YOU KNEW ME, DEAR JESUS, AND CALLED ME BY NAME.

WHEN YOU WERE LYING, MY JESUS, THERE IN THE MANGER,

I WAS NOT BORN, YET I WAS NOT A STRANGER.

I KNEW YOU NOT, JESUS, BUT YOU KNEW ME THEN;

YOU KNEW ME BEFORE MY LIFE DID BEGIN.

YOU KNEW ME THEN, JESUS, AS YOU KNOW ME NOW,

AND BY THE GRACE OF YOUR LOVE THIS LIFE DID ALLOW.

EVEN THEN, MY DEAR JESUS, MY LIFE YOU HAD SHARED

AS THE CRIB I WOULD LIE IN YOU ALREADY PREPARED.

AS I LIE NOW IN COMFORT IN MY SHELTERED BED,

I OFTEN FORGET WHERE YOU HAD LAID YOUR HEAD.

YOU HAD NOT THE COMFORTS THAT YOU NOW GIVE TO ME;

I HAD TO LOOK AT YOUR MANGER SO THAT AGAIN I MAY SEE.

“THY WILL BE DONE”

12-11-1995

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