For the last two Saturday's of the year Fr John O'Keefe has two seasonal reflections which invite us to look at the meaning of Christmas through the eyes of children. He suggests: "One of the wonderful things about children is that they very soon learn to ask questions. Asking questions is also an important part of becoming fully human."

The wonder of Christmas through the eyes of children...

Christmas is a special time for children. It is wonderful to see the sparkle in a child's eyes at the Christmas Carols as they see and hear something of the re-enactment of the Gospel stories, or when they see some Christmas decorations. It is also distressing at times to see the greed that comes into childrens' eyes at the opening of their presents. These days, it seems, many adults have decided that children should have more and more and bigger and better presents, some of which will be valued, while some will be quickly discarded. That is adultism.

The Gospel stories about Jesus childhood tell us of three things — the coming of the shepherds, the three wise men and, just prior to his becoming an adult, of his being in the Temple when he should have been on his way home. But what is God trying to tell us about Jesus in these stories? What lessons are to be learned about us?

What did those shepherds, when they came in from the freezing hillsides, actually see? All we are told is that they saw a baby, a human baby, probably "muling and puking in its mother's arms". That's what babies do! Yet they went back to their work "glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen". Was it Irenaeus who said that "the glory of God is a human being who is fully alive"? The shepherds discovered the glory of God in a human baby.

The three wise men came to Bethlehem following their dreams. Maybe they were hoping to find some evidence that people could live in peace and harmony. All they actually found was a baby. What did they see in this baby that made them give up something of their "strength", their gold, etc, and then go back home by a different way so as not to put the life of the baby in jeopardy?

In contrast to these shepherds and the wise men, we are told that there was no room for Joseph and his pregnant wife at the local hotel. People were too busy enjoying themselves, their lives did not admit of pregnant women or their children. Then, as far as Herod was concerned, this newborn baby was a threat, a threat he was determined to get rid of. Lots of adultism in all of this!

What did the shepherds and the wise men see in this baby? What do any of us see in a baby?

I have asked parents at the time of their children's Baptism just what they had learned from the baby. Some mothers, most of them in fact, said they have learned patience. Well, they may have learned to be patient with their child, but they did not learn patience from the baby.

Teaching us the fundamentals of being human…

I think every baby has something very important that we adults need to learn. Every baby teaches us the fundamentals of being human, and we need to listen to them. These would seem to be the fundamental qualities of a fully human being:

• The first thing about a baby is that it is beautiful. It has a beauty that that we adults often lose sight of. It is not just physically beautiful. But even the concept of a baby is one of beauty.
• Every baby is also innocent. It is not capable of any wrongdoing. Innocence is something we can so easily lose, living in a world where there is so much temptation.
• Every baby is a model of simplicity. It is not capable of the complexity that seems to become a part of an adult's life.
• A baby is vulnerable, very much so. It can so easily be hurt physically and psychologically.
• A baby is dependent, totally! We adults are always striving for our independence at any cost. We often fail to realise that interdependence is vitally important for happy and harmonious human existence.

One of the wonderful things about children is that they very soon learn to ask questions. Asking questions is also an important part of becoming fully human. Constantly being asked questions is often annoying for adults, but it is a vital part of growing up. At the age of twelve, when Jesus was soon to be come an adult, he was found in the Temple, sitting among the scholars of his church, listening to them and asking them questions. That he didn't always agree with their answers was apparent in his ministry, and put him at odds with the authorities of his church. Growth in human life and growth in the life of faith depends very much on continually asking questions. It is an important part of everyone's search for truth.

I think the things our children can teach us are probably far more important than most of what we teach them. If we truly listened, maybe our world would be a much better, and safer, place to live.

IMAGE SOURCE: The image of the child used in the head and tail banners wsa sourced from stock.xchng. The photograph was taken by Richard Sweet, Lond UK.

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©2007 John O'Keefe

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