Today Bethlehem is a city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank of the State of Palestine, about six miles south of Jerusalem. It has a population of under 30,000, mostly dependent (when there isn’t a war on) on pilgrimage tourism.

While for many hundreds of years it has been a city of Arab Christians, Bethlehem now has a majority of Arab Muslims. While it is still home to a significant population of Palestinian Christians, this community has dwindled significantly, from about 85 per cent in 1950 to about 10 per cent today. Bethlehem has become encircled by the notorious wall and by dozens of illegal Israeli settlements, which significantly hinder the ability of its citizens to access their land and livelihoods, which has contributed to the exodus.

In Hebrew Bethlehem is בֵּית לֶחֶם Bēṯ Leḥ em and in Arabic is بيت لحم BaytLaḥm.

The Arabic name for Bethlehem literally means "house of meat", while the Hebrew name for the city literally means "house of bread". Isn’t it a wonderful coincidence that Jesus, the Bread of Life, was born in a place called “house of bread”? That’s why when I receive the bread (and wine) – the Body (and Blood) of Jesus – in Communion at Christmas I don’t think of it as sharing in the Last Supper, but in the First Breakfast.

A very Happy Christmas to you and yours,