Advent- December 21

Listen: Angles we Have Heard on High

Read Luke 2:8-14

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
    and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Adults:

Swaddling Clothes and Mangers

Swaddling cloths were strips of material used for wrapping infants in that day. The Shepherds would use these cloths to wrap the legs of the newborn lambs. The Shepherds in that region had a specific rabbinical task of caring for the ewes which would birth the lambs for temple sacrifices. The lambs that were born were treated with such care as to ensure they were kept from anything that would produce spots or blemishes. Lambs which were used for peace offerings (females) and atonement sacrifices (males) were inspected before the sacrifice for any spot or blemish.

The Shepherds would leave swaddling cloths within the caves for the births. The place where Mary and Joseph found themselves was not a rickety wooden structure, but a cave as this was common for the area.

“Mangers” were carved out “beds” from the rock of the cave and used as cribs to lay newborn lambs and also used as feeding troughs.

When Mary gave birth within one of these caves, she used the swaddling cloths left by the Shepherds and wrapped him with care, laying him in the same manner a sacrificial lamb would have been laid.