Mary and Joseph were in Bethlehem. The time had come for their baby to be born. They had hardly expected they would be in a stable. Upon reflection, it's possible they considered how appropriate it was for the Savior of the world to be born in the midst of His creation.
Jesus is born in Bethlehem-literally "house of bread" in Hebrew. How fitting Jesus would see Himself as the "bread of life" (John 6: 35a). God had delivered a bread from heaven for the Children of Israel as they wondered through the wilderness. It was always enough, but Jesus is so much more! He is the bread from heaven!
Many of us will receive Holy Communion as we celebrate the birth of Christ-Jesus, the Bread of Life. In this bread-His Body-He forgives us our sins. In this bread He renews us, and empowers us to continue our journey beyond Bethlehem to our homes, our communities, and throughout the world.
Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They would later descend to Egypt to escape Herod's envy, and return to Nazareth where Jesus would grow up and join His father as a carpenter. Later, He would trek to the Jordan River where He would be baptized and on to Calvary where He would be crucified. But His journey would not end there. He would ascend into heaven where He has prepared a place for us. He will come again.
That is when our journey will end-when He comes again. The journey home to heaven will be the best of all. And it is all possible because of Mary and Joseph's Advent journey to Bethlehem, and the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
THE PRAYER: O Advent Lord, thanks for accompanying our journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Bless our celebration of the birth of Jesus, our Bread of Life. Amen.
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