Second Tuesday of Advent

6 December 2011

Jesse Tree Story:  MANNA FROM HEAVEN
Jesse Tree Symbol:  MANNA

TODAY IS ALSO THE FEAST DAY OF ST. NICHOLAS. THERE IS A LINK TO THE RIGHT THAT WILL BRING YOU TO A SITE DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY OF ST. NICHOLAS.

Scripture:  And they set out from Elim. And the entire
multitude of the sons of Israel arrived at the desert
of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the
fifteenth day of the second month, after they
departed from the land of Egypt.
And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel
murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
And the sons of Israel said to them: “If only we
had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of
Egypt, when we sat around bowls of meat and
ate bread until filled. Why have you led us away,
into this desert, so that you might kill the entire
multitude with famine?”
Then the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, I will rain
down bread from heaven for you. Let the people
go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, s
o that I may test them, as to whether or not they
will walk in my law.
But on the sixth day, let them prepare what they
 use for carrying, and let there be double what they
were accustomed to collect on a single day.”
And Moses and Aaron said to the sons of Israel:
“In the evening, you will know that the Lord has
led you away from the land of Egypt.
And in the morning, you will see the glory of the
Lord. For he has heard your murmuring against the
Lord. But as for us, truly what are we, that you
would whisper against us?”
And Moses said: “In the evening, the Lord will
give you flesh to eat, and in the morning, bread in
fullness. For he has heard your murmurings that you
have murmured against him. For what are we? Your
murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord.”
Moses also said to Aaron: “Say to the whole 
congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Approach
before the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring.’ ”
And when Aaron spoke to the entire assembly of the 
sons of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness.
And behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
“I have heard the murmuring of the sons of Israel.
Say to them: ‘In the evening, you will eat flesh, and
in the morning, you will be filled with bread. And
you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ ”
  Therefore, it happened in the evening: quails,
rising up, covered the camp. Likewise, in the morning,
a dew lay all around the camp.
And when it had covered the face of the earth,
it appeared, in the wilderness, small and as if
crushed with a pestle, similar to hoar-frost on the ground.
When the sons of Israel had seen it, they said one to
another: “Manhu?” which means “What is this?”
For they did not know what it was. And Moses
said to them: “This is the bread that the Lord has
given you to eat.
This is the word that the Lord has instructed. Let
each one collect as much of it as is sufficient to eat.
One omer for each head. According to the number
of your souls which live in a tent, so will you take of it.”
And the sons of Israel did so. And they collected:
some more, others less.
And they measured by the measure of an omer.
He who collected more, did not have too much;
nor did he who prepared less, find too little. But
each one gathered according to what they were
able to eat.
And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any 
of it behind until morning.”
And they did not listen to him, but they left some
of it behind until morning, and it began to swarm
with worms, and it putrefied. And Moses became
angry against them.
Then each one collected, in the morning, as much as
would be sufficient to eat. And after the sun became
 hot, it melted.
But on the sixth day, they collected a double portion,
that is, two omers for each man. Then all the leaders
 among the multitude came, and they discoursed with
Moses.
And he said to them: “This is what the Lord has spoken:
Tomorrow, the rest day of the Sabbath, has been sanctified
to the Lord. Whatever would be done, do it now. And
whatever would be cooked, cook it now. Then anything
that will have been left over, store it until morning.”
And they did just as Moses had instructed, and it did not
putrefy, nor were there any worms found in it.
And Moses said: “Eat it today, because it is the Sabbath
of the Lord. Today it will not be found in the field.
Gather for six days. But on the seventh day, it is the
Sabbath of the Lord, for which reason it will not be found.”
And the seventh day arrived. And some of the people,
going out to collect it, did not find it.
Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will you be 
unwilling to keep my commandments and my law?
See how the Lord has given you the Sabbath, and,
because of this, on the sixth day he distributes to 
you a double portion. Let each one remain with
his own, and let no one go forth from his place
on the seventh day.”
And the people kept the Sabbath on the seventh day.
And the house of Israel called its name ‘Manna.’ 
It was like white coriander seed, and its taste was
like wheat flour with honey.
Then Moses said: “This is the word that the Lord
has instructed: Fill an omer of it, and let it be kept
for future generations hereafter, so that they may
know the bread, with which I nourished you in the w
ilderness, when you had been led away from the
land of Egypt.”
And Moses said to Aaron, “Take one vessel, and p
ut manna into it, as much as an omer is able to hold.
And store it in the sight of the Lord, to keep for your 
generations,
just as the Lord instructed Moses.” And so, Aaron
placed it in the tabernacle, in reserve.
Now the sons of Israel ate manna for forty years,
until they arrived in a habitable land. With this food
they were nourished, even until they touched the
borders of the land of Canaan.
Now an omer is a tenth part of an ephah.

Exodus 16:1-36

Commentary:  The manna which the Jews ate in the desert
for forty years was a symbol of  Christ, the true Bread
which descended from heaven.