HOLDING BABY JESUS

 

Do you like looking at and holding tiny babies? Everyone does. Mothers and fathers, grandparents and godparents, aunts, uncles and siblings – everyone – loves holding a baby. When each of our four grandchildren were born, I couldn’t wait for my turn to hold them. Holding a baby makes you feel awesome, and every Christian has wanted to hold the Baby Jesus because that would be the most awesome feeling!

Everyone does not have the same love and respect for babies as Christians. We read in the Gospel of Matthew (2:13-23) that Herod was angry that the Three Wise Men returned home without telling him where the Baby Jesus was born, and had his soldiers kill all the male babies who were two years old and younger.

Herod was evil, but he was not the first ruler to have babies killed and not the last either. Today, we have rulers in the world and our country who think it is okay to have newborn or preborn babies killed. It’s not a happy topic to discuss in the Christmas Season or anytime, but St. Matthew wanted Christians to know that such evil exists, but this evil act fulfilled a prophecy.

The Prophet Jeremiah had a vision that God would gather all of His people and protect them from evil (Jer 31). The Lord said among the people He would protect are women ready to give birth to a baby. Still, God heard Rachel weeping and crying for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they were no more. That means that someone killed them. But when God gathers us in his arms, men and women rejoice because He turns our sorrow to into gladness.

The Baby Jesus grew up to announce the Good News. Jesus died and rose from death to save us from evil people like Herod and to live joyfully as Christians. That is the Good News that we celebrate all year round. With that, we pray.

Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.