Bethlehem: the House of Bread

Bethlehem: the House of Bread

Taken from Dom Gueranger's The Liturgical Year:

Out of Bethlehem, says the Prophet, shall he come forth that is to be the Ruler in Israel. The Jewish Priests are well aware of the prophecy, and a few days hence will tell it to Herod (St. Matthew 2:5). But why was this insignificant town chosen in preference to every other to be the birth-place of Jesus? Be attentive, Christians, to the mystery! The name of this City of David signifies the House of Bread: therefore did He, who is the living Bread come down from heaven (St. John 6:41), choose it for his first visible home. Our Fathers did eat manna in the desert and are dead (St. John 6:49), but lo! here is the Saviour of the world, come to give life to His creature man by means of His own divine Flesh, which is meat indeed (St. John 6:56). Up to this time the Creator and the creature had been separated from each other; henceforth they shall abide together in closest union. The Ark of the Covenant, containing the manna which fed but the body, is now replaced by the Ark of the New Covenant, purer and more incorruptible than the other: the incomparable Virgin Mary, who gives us Jesus, the Bread of Angels, the nourishment which will give us a divine transformation; for this Jesus Himself has said: He that eateth my flesh abideth in me, and I in him (St. John 6:57).

It is for this divine transformation that the world was in expectation for four thousand years, and for which the Church prepared herself by the four weeks of Advent. It has come at last, and Jesus is about to enter within us, if we will but receive Him (St. John 1:12). He asks to be united by His Incarnation to the whole human race; and for this end he wishes to become our Bread, our spiritual nourishment His coming into the souls of men at this mystic season has no other aim than this union. He comes not to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him (St. John 3:17), and that all may have life, and may have it more abundantly (St. John 10:10). This divine Lover of our souls will not be satisfied, therefore, until he have substituted Himself in our place, so that we may live not we ourselves, but He in us; and in order that this mystery may be effected in a sweeter way, it is under the form of an Infant that this Beautiful Fruit of Bethlehem wishes first to enter into us, there to grow afterwards in wisdom and age before God and men (St. Luke 2:40, 52).

And when, having thus visited us by His grace and nourished us in His love, He shall have changed us into Himself, there shall be accomplished in us a still further mystery. Having become one in spirit and heart with Jesus, the Son of the heavenly Father, we shall also becomes sons of this same God our Father. The beloved Disciple, speaking of this our dignity, cries out: Behold! what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God! (1 St. John 3:1).

Directives from Heaven...

D1 - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass PDF
D2 - The Holy Eucharist PDF
D87 - Divinity of Jesus Christ PDF

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"My children, My little humble children, I appeal to you as your Mother, go forward on foot, knock on the doors; bring the light to your brothers and sisters. For those who have been given great grace, much is expected of them." - Our Lady of the Roses May 26, 1976

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