Christmas Morning

“…Today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

What Child is this? Mary knew Her Son was the Messiah, was King, Lord and God. From the moment She was pregnant, She must have longed to see God, Her Son. She was first to pray to God dwelling within Her. Surely, She pondered, what He would look like? And when He was born, She was the first to kiss the face of God. To first to see the smile of God. She held God in Her arms, ate meals with Him, and walked side by side with Him. She heard the words of God, comforted Him in His passion and was first to see Him resurrected. And Mary knew more than anyone what would become of the Child. She knew the scriptures better than anyone, because Her intellect and memory didn’t suffer from original sin.

Every day in hospitals including Christmas children are born in the Labor and Delivery unit. Fathers of the children wait in eager longing to see their new born child. Grandparents of the children wait to hear the good news. Will it be a boy or girl, they wonder? As the parents hold their child for the first time, perhaps they wonder, “What will become of my child? And whose lives will my baby touch in the future? What will my child do?”

If the infant child is a girl, will she someday become a cheerleader or play volleyball? Will she sing like an angel? Who will she marry? How many children and grandchildren will she have? What college will she attend, what will be her major? Or will she become a nun and live in a convent and so become a spouse of Christ?

If the child is a boy, will he be a future quarterback or be an outstanding basketball player? Will he become a scientist and discover a cure for cancer? Will he become a fire fighter or a policeman and if so, whose lives will he save? Will he become a farmer, till the soil and raise cattle? Will he become a soldier? What girls will he date?

What hardships and difficulties will he face? What illnesses will he endure? Will the boy go to seminary and one day be ordained as a priest? These parents may wonder, “What will become of my child?”

The night Jesus was born, it was revealed to the humble, poor shepherds what would become of the Child born in Bethlehem and where they would find Him. The angel said to the shepherds, “….today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.”

Because of the angel, the shepherds came to know who He is and what He will do. He will be the savior. He is the Messiah, who is the Christ. He is Lord, who is God.

The wise men came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn King of Jews, and this is how Herod came to know, the baby born in Bethlehem is a King. Yet because He is king, because He is Messiah, because He is Lord, some of the words from the Christmas Hymn, “What Child is This?” remind us of the future destiny of the babe. “Nails, spears, shall pierce Him through; the Cross be borne for me for you…” What a horrible way to treat the King of heaven and earth. Who could imagine the Child, born in poor and humble conditions would be hung on a Cross?

Jesus allowed this to happen because He is Savior, who saves us from our sins. Just as in the time of Jesus, we too are able to come to Jesus and have our sins forgiven. Back then, Our Lord saved: the woman who committed adultery, the woman who washed His feet with her tears, the tax collector and the good thief from their sins, so today, Our Lord saves us by forgiving our sins through baptism and confession.

Once when I was in a nursing home, I noticed a woman dying. She wasn’t Catholic. Desiring to comfort the family, I came to her room and asked if I could pray for her. I discovered she wasn’t baptized and the family said she wanted baptism. I baptized the 95 year old woman and she died the next day. The Child born of Mary saved her from all her sins.

Once I was walking through a rehab center in Wichita. One person asked me to hear their confession, and as I was walking down the corridor another person asked me hear their confession. Within 15 minutes, I heard the confessions of two people and Jesus washed away the combination of 75 years of sins. Today, Jesus saves us from our sins.

What will become of this Child? What Child is this? The Jews who knew scripture, would have known the Messiah would heal the sick, give sight to the blind, to bring liberty to captives. He would be the Savior.

Jesus not only healed the lepers, the blind men, the paralytic and even raised the little girl from the dead, He heals the sick in every age including our own.

At my last parish of Sacred Heart in Halstead Kansas, the parents of a one year old child and I prayed to Jesus through the intercession of Fr. Emil Kapaun, a priest from the Diocese of Wichita who was killed in the Korean war, to heal the baby boy who had Leukemia. When the child was taken to the doctor, the doctor was astounded that the child no longer had Leukemia.

Jesus comforted the people in His day and He has comforted all who turn to Him including our generation. A woman with tears in her eyes, came out of an adoration chapel in Kansas and said, “Father, I just had the neatest experience. I felt the arms of Jesus around me.”

From the time of Jesus unto today, Jesus helps many to forgive others, including those who suffer from horrible injustices. I know a woman who could not forgive the man who killed her son. Until one day, she went to an adoration chapel and asked Jesus for help. Within a few minutes, her heart melted and she was able to forgive and pray for him.

What Child is This? Who can help each person in every generation, no matter their circumstances, no matter their life situations? Who can heal, forgive, give us comfort and peace?

What will this Child do for you? What I encourage you to do, is pick up the baby Jesus from your manger, and hold the baby Jesus in your arms and pray: I love you baby Jesus. I adore you baby Jesus. Baby Jesus you are the Lord of my life. You are the king of my heart and of my family. You are my best friend. To you I can confide everything. You will heal me. You will comfort me and wipe away my tears. You will give me strength to carry my cross. You will help me love others, especially those most difficult to love. I want to be with you in heaven. O Child Jesus, my savior, save me from my sins. Help me to come to Confession often. Give me the desire to come to Mass as often as possible, so that you may dwell within my soul and give me graces to reach my eternal home in heaven. I know what Child is this…. O Savior, Son of Mary, my King, my Lord and my God. Amen.