This week’s “Animals at the Manger” are creatures that may not necessarily have been present at the actual Nativity, but would have been associated with the three Wise Men from the East who came to visit the child Jesus.
In many instances in the Scriptures, the camel was associated with wealth and endurance in long journeys. These incredible creatures store fat in their humps, enabling them to go without food for long periods of time. They are also known for going without water for extended periods in hot, dry climates. To possess numerous camels in Biblical times signified that the one who owned them was a person of means.
Jesus also said that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a wealthy man to enter the Kingdom of God.
Interestingly, too, camels were considered “unclean” according to the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 11:4). This meant they could not be eaten for food.
So if our Lord is one to forego worldly riches, why are camels associated with Nativity?
Wealth is not inherently evil; the inordinate attachment to it is. If anything can be taken from the example of the Magi, it is that the abundance of resources should be stewarded for the benefit of those who go without, and for the worship of God. Their camels enabled them to make the long journey to honor the divine child. Their gift of gold provided for the Holy Family’s basic needs, especially when they escaped to Egypt. The Frankincense was a symbol of the worship of divinity. And the myrrh, used for burial, foreshadowed the sacrifice that the Lord was going to make on the cross.
May we remember not to hoard the gifts and resources that we have, but steward them in service of others and for God.
