Welcoming the Christ Child: A Call to Hope and Faith

Someone recently shared with me the line, “A church that is not crying, is dying.” If you have been at Mass most anytime during the past months, you can appreciate that we are a church that often echoes with the cries of children. This past year many of our young families have been blessed with the birth of a child. Parents are making sure their children are baptized and from the first days of their life on earth are learning the importance of attending Mass. Every new child is as beautiful as the one before and equally as precious as the next child to come. 

There are few things in life as glorious as the birth of a child. I realize that for first-time parents especially, there is a certain amount of worry and anxiety. It is only natural to question oneself, whether or not as a new mother and father one will be up to the task of caring for this most wondrous gift God has entrusted us with. But as any grandparent who has taken care of a grandchild for more than one day will attest overcome with exhaustion, “it is good God gives newborn children to young parents.” Indeed God knows what He is doing as He sends children into our world, even if it is to first-time parents. He knows the importance of each child and desires few things more than to see the wonder and awe that is especially present in new parents. 

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and this sacred time, it is good for us to allow ourselves to be in awe of the gifts a child brings to our world: beauty, joy, love, patience, kindness, and above all – hope. Each time I baptize an infant or greet a family bringing a child to church for the first time, I can’t help but be overcome by the feeling our world is in great hands. Hope abounds knowing our world is in the hands of a God who created this most precious bundle of life, and He is the King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Wonder Counselor, God Hero, and Lord above all Lords. He is a God who loved us so wonderfully that He gave His own son as a child like the ones we hear crying at Mass for us to love, care for, adore, worship, and bring into our lives on a daily basis. The God who creates each child is also the God who sent us our Savior.

Every time we hear a child cry, are blessed with the opportunity to gaze upon a newborn, see parents loving, caring for, and even somedays struggling with their infant, may we let our minds and hearts go back to that solemn night when the angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to people of goodwill.” May we be overcome by the spirit of hope that the birth of Christ brings to our fallen world.

Pope Francis has declared this to be a Jubilee Year of Hope. In making this declaration he wrote, “Christian hope gives us the courage to build a fraternal and peaceful world when it seems barely worth the effort.” Let us embrace Christian Hope this year so every child can be born into a fraternal and peaceful world. Isn’t that what ultimately every parent wants – Peace on earth and good will for all? Isn’t it what we all want? This Christmas let us commit ourselves to being people of hope. Let us find reasons to be hopeful. Let us be courageous in our faith. Let us enjoy the chorus of children crying out. Let us find hope in their young voices. Let us celebrate the birth of all children, especially the Son of God. Merry Christmas and God’s blessings. 

‍

‍