Christmas: Fruity Bread
The Christmas carol "O du fröhliche, o du selige" reflects the description of the prophet of Bethlehem: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (Micha 5,1)Bethlehem may have been small, but in his humility God chose this place to be born as a human being.
The name Bethlehem or Ephrathah has a deeper meaning. Bethlehem means "House of Bread." Into this House of Bread came the living bread, Jesus: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. And the bread that I will give—my flesh—for the life of the world." (Joh 6,51)Efrata, the former name of Bethlehem, means "fruitful." Jesus referred to himself as the true vine, and we as his followers will only bear fruit if we are connected to him. (Joh 15,1-4).
Bethlehem is mentioned in various places in the Bible. In the book of Ruth, the story begins with a famine in the "house of bread". Due to the hardship, Elimelech and his family left their home in Bethlehem and went to Moab as refugees. There, Elimelech and his two sons died, leaving his wife Naomi and her daughters-in-law as widows.
Naomi heard that God had given bread to his people again: “So she set out with her two daughters-in-law and returned from the land of Moab; for she had learned in the land of Moab that the Lord had taken care of his people and given them bread.” (Rut 1,6).
Ruth married Boaz there and became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of King David. Jesus, who was also born in Bethlehem, came from this lineage. God provided bread and fertility in times of famine. Likewise, in spiritual famine, he gives us his Son Jesus Christ, the bread of life, the true manna from heaven, by which we are nourished and satisfied. Jesus said: “Very truly I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. This is the bread of God that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Joh 6,32-35).
As we think of Bethlehem this Christmas season, let us taste together the life-giving food of Jesus Christ, who alone satisfies us and makes us fruitful. He is the bread of life who satisfies all our longings and graciously gives us the fruit of eternal life. As those who have received this bread, we are invited to show others the way. Like beggars who show other beggars where to find bread, we can share the good news of Jesus. Let us go in spirit to the manger in Bethlehem and be ready to receive the fullness of God's love and grace that God gives us in and through his Son.
by Barry Robinson
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