the manger

[cazayoux]

Hello !!

Something occurred to me while attending the first advent mass this year.

I’ve recently been reading up on the Eucharist and why we Catholics believe that it IS and not just a symbol.

At the last supper, He says “This IS my body”.

In John 6 His words are hard for non-Catholics to dispute where He says that His body truly is food and that we must eat His flesh or we have no life in us.

As Catholics we have the opportunity to consume Him in the manner that He prescribed on a DAILY basis (as often as we gather).

As I sat in mass, thinking about the nativity, it occurs to me in this context that Jesus, when born, was first placed in a manger … AN EATING VESSEL.

In fact, the etymology of the word includes the French word which means ‘to eat’.

For me, this was a WOW moment!!

From His first moments, he seems to be prefiguring how we should all know Him through the Eucharist.

Just thought I’d share.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

michel

 

[Em_in_FL]

What a FASCINATING revelation!!!

VERY cool!

 

[Lrning]

That IS an amazing idea! I haven’t heard it before, but I wonder if it has been understood before somewhere in our Church’s long history.

 

[DCD]

Bethlehem= House of Bread
Jesus= Bread of Life
Manger= Feeding Trough

Pretty cool

Peace,
David

 

[Em_in_FL]

Hmmm… taking this idea on…

Christ is known as “The Good Shephard”… and we are His sheep…


Even more interesting!

From dictionary.com…

man·ger (mān’jər) Pronunciation Key
n. A trough or an open box in which feed for livestock is placed.

[Middle English, from Old French mangeoire, from mangier, to eat, from Latin mandūcāre, from mandūcō, glutton, from mandere, to chew.]

 

[Franciscan]

Here is an article about this. I think its awesome that the 1st poster had this inspiration and it has been confirmed by an existing teaching.davidmacd.com/catholic/eucharist.htm

 

[cazayoux]

Here is an article about this. I think its awesome that the 1st poster had this inspiration and it has been confirmed by an existing teaching.

I certainly didn’t think I was the first. hehehehehe
For me, it was just my first realization of it … not that the understand even came from me.
I’ve shared it with a couple of people that really thought it was a great additional way to think about the nativity.
It’s even helped to open the door for discussions with an ex-Catholic (currently a preacher) friend of mine about our beliefs.

Considering the effects so far, i KNOW the realization was given to me and not of me.

THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT!!!

cheers.

Thanks!

michel

 

[LindaS]

The gentleman, I forget his name, who draws the B.C. cartoon is a Christian and has included many Christian themes in his cartoons. He had one some years back that said: “Manger: a feeding trough large enough to hold the Bread of Life.” I thought that was wonderful.

Peace,
Linda

 

[papaspicy]

I know others have said this, but … wow! I will never look at a nativity scene the same way, especially the empty manger we have in our church right now that is awaiting the baby Jesus.

 

[puzzleannie]

and no doubt, as most crib scenes depict, the first animals that came to the manger were the sheep brought by the shepherds.

 

[dafalax]

One time after confession i was praying my hail mary’s in front of a crucifix and the phrase “fruit of thy womb” stuck in my head as i saw Jesus hanging on the crucifix the way an apple hangs on a tree. Then i remembered Adam and Eve ate the fruit of sin so we must eat Jesus, the fruit of life, to reverse this evil. The Holy Spirit strikes at odd times and it’s so cool every time it happens.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Great Post Everyone!