The first coming of Jesus Christ into the world is that one prophesied from the beginning of time (Genesis 3:15) to save mankind from death from sin, because God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Our Lord Jesus Christ was to come into this world as a man, because, just as Adam’s trespass brought condemnation for people, so also through the obedience of Jesus Christ makes all men righteous that they may have life (Romans 5:18-19).
The evangelist tells us that Mary “gave birth to her firstborn, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). The Son of God, coming into this world, finds a place where the animals feed. Hay became the first bed for the One who will reveal Himself as “the bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:41). Saint Augustine, with other Church Fathers, was impressed by this symbolism: “Laid in a manger, he became our food” (Sermon 189:4). 1
Jesus through his ministry tells us that we are to be prepared for his second coming. The season of Advent gives us an example of how we can prepare.
During Advent we prepare the nativity scene, cleaning the dust accumulated in each figurine because it has been stored for almost a year, we make a space in our home to assemble it so that it looks beautiful, and then we keep the manger empty to place baby Jesus in it on the last hours of Christmas Eve. Thus we must also prepare ourselves to receive Jesus, cleansing our souls of those sins we have committed, making room for mercy in our hearts, and just as the manger receives Jesus, let us also receive his body which is the bread of eternal life (John 6:35) every time we partake of the Holy Eucharist.
Let us always celebrate Christmas with the perfect banquet, that banquet that Jesus Christ himself has prepared for us, that banquet that gives us eternal life consecrated on the altar, so that the grace, love and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ may always be with us.
1 Francis, “Admirabile signum” Apostolic Letter § 2, Greccio, 1 December 2019, https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2019/12/01/191201b.html