Christmas: Fruity Bread
The Christmas carol “O you who are joyful, O you who are blessed” reflects the prophet’s description of Bethlehem: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the clans of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth for me one who is to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings out are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 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 of this bread will live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh - for the life of the world" (John 6,51). Ephrathah, the former name of Bethlehem, means "fruitful". Jesus called himself the true vine, and we as his followers will only bear fruit if we are united with him (John 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 his people bread again: "So she arose, she and her two daughters-in-law, and returned from the land of Moab, for she had heard in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and had given them bread" (Ruth 1,6).
Ruth married Boaz there and became the mother of Obed, the grandfather of King David. Jesus, who was also born in Bethlehem, comes from this line. God provided bread and fertility in times of famine. Likewise, in times of spiritual famine, he gives us his son Jesus Christ, the bread of life, the true manna from heaven, from which we feed and are satisfied. Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For this is the bread of God which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then they said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always." But Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst" (John 1:14). 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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