A Christmas Countdown – Day 9

Behind Day 9 of my Advent Calendar

BREAD

Bread – not something you generally think of being associated with Christmas but, as I hope to prove (did you see what I did there?), there is a link – and quite an important one at that.

All of us have things which we would find hard to do without. Take me for example – I have something of a reputation for being partial to a custard cream, if called upon to gather together a small collection of discs prior to being castaway on a desert, I would almost certainly include a couple of Bob Dylan tracts, and I have been seen to twitch uncontrollably if Somerset are playing cricket and I’m not aware of the score.

My wife however, prefers her biscuits to have a fruity component, would undoubtedly sail on by any, and I mean any, marooned seafarer who was consoling himself by playing ‘It’s All Over Now Baby Blue’ and, despite her predilection for such a twice baked comestible, she couldn’t give a flying fig roll whether or not Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s strike rate is higher or lower than that of Will Smeed or Tom Banton.

Clearly then, she still has a lot to learn.

But though we have differing preferences on non essentials, there are some things that we both have real need. Take bread for example…

‘Well you’ve finally got round to talking about bread – well done you. But it’s taken you long enough – and you’ve not yet made a case as to why this staple of the British diet has anything to do with Christmas’.

You make a fair point

‘Thank you – you’re very kind’

You’re welcome – but here’s the thing.

Whereas most people will know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and many will be aware that his birthplace was predicted by the Old Testament prophet Micah 700 years before the event [Micah 5:2], far fewer will be aware that Bethlehem means ‘House of Bread’ – which is when you come to think of it, interesting – given how Jesus once said that he was the ‘Bread of Life’. [John 6:35]

More interesting still though is the fact that Jesus made this claim the day after he fed 5000 men, plus a corresponding number of women and children, with two barley loves and a couple of fish, an episode which parallels what God the Father did in Old Testament times when, on route to the promised land, he provided his people in the wilderness with the curious food known as ‘manna’ [Exodus 16] By performing an act similar to that previously carried out by God, Jesus was, by association, making plain that he is, not only the Bread of Heaven, but God himself.

But that’s not the end of it. Jesus went on to say ‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’

Which sounds a little weird until you realise just what Jesus is saying – specifically that, by benefiting from his being consumed by death, we can receive eternal life.

No wonder then that the Welsh sing so heartily that fine old hymn ‘Guide me, O my great Redeemer’.

Guide me O thou great redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land;
I am weak, but thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,
Feed me now and evermore,
Feed me now and evermore.

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Which brings us to today’s song. No surprises as to what it is. Why not click below and sing along?! It is allowed – even if you’re not Welsh!

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Previously from ‘A Christmas Countdown’:

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 8’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Part 7’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 6’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 5’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 4’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 3’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 2’, click here

To read ‘A Christmas Countdown – Day 1’, click here