Celebrating Christmas—The Manger

When Mary gave birth to the Son of God, there was no beautiful crib in which to lay Him.
Instead she and Joseph made do with what was at hand.
I imagine Joseph cleaned out the manger as best he could then gathered straw
to make it soft for the baby and after wrapping her baby,
Mary placed Him in it.

Growing up I heard this story many times every Christmas and often in between.
But not being raised on a farm I had no idea what a manger was and no one ever told me
so I supposed it to be synonymous with crib or bed.
But then one day I decided to look the word up in the dictionary and
found that a manger is a feeding trough.
Not a bed, but a table! 

I can’t think of that manger cradling the Bread of Life now
without being reminded of the weekly table I visit to partake of the sacrament.
As I think about it I can hear the words,
“Bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it,
that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son” (D&C 20:77).

Thus the Bread of Life was born in the House of Bread
and placed on a feeding trough as if being offered to you and I.
A symbolic gesture for all who wish to partake of Eternal Life to learn from.

"He that cometh to me shall never hunger" (John 6:35).
"He that eatheth of this bread shall live for ever" (John 6:58).