4th Sunday of Advent
Sabine Schratz OP
Children make all the difference at Christmas. They bring a sense of anticipation and excitement that transforms the days leading up to Christmas and the day itself. “Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall,” writes American actor and author Larry Wilde. Of course, part of this anticipation is driven by the prospect of receiving a long-awaited gift. But that is not the only reason. Birthdays do not usually generate such excitement. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but I suspect that children still have a sense of trust that this world can surprise them in a happy way, and that there is something in it – even if it comes from the North Pole – that they can dare to expect.
On the other hand, it is often children who feel it most acutely when things go wrong. When stress threatens to overwhelm the adults, when the presence of a family member is sorely missed, when worries dampen the Christmas spirit, when they see disturbing images in the media. We adults have our world of logical explanations and we have the many things that distract us. We tell ourselves that we can and must pull ourselves together. Children are much more in touch with the obvious: why don’t you have time for me today?
Both, the ability to have expectations and the sense that things are not as they should be, are prophetic gifts. Is it any wonder that it is a child who first senses the coming of the Messiah? John the Baptist has not yet been born, but his joy excites and inspires Elizabeth, who receives a profound insight into the magnitude of the message behind Mary’s visit.
If you have children in your family or around you, in these last days before Christmas, take some time to listen to them and to hear their expectations and worries. It could be their gift to you. “In the eyes of children we find the joy of Christmas; in their hearts we find its meaning” (Thomas Leland).
Photograph by Jason Hopkins