Why did God become a baby? Most of us have had the experience of holding a baby in our arms. Maybe we did that as an older sibling, or as a visiting friend. The first thing we notice is that the baby is so charming. The baby makes funny faces. The baby makes soft vocal sounds that make us say “aaawww! How cute!” Even the baby’s cry brings forth a softness from our heart that makes us cuddle the baby with tender feelings. Isn’t it true that a baby brings out the best in us? The baby can turn a grumpy outlook into a gentle softness. Someone once said that God in His wisdom came as a baby so that any person who encountered an infant could not possibly hold onto anger they might be carrying. St. Francis of Assisi is often portrayed carrying a baby in his arms. Besides wanting to protect the baby’s innocence, he wanted to constantly remind himself that the Incarnation (meaning Christ becoming a baby) is the actual foundation of our faith. For without the Incarnation, you couldn’t have the Resurrection! But St. Francis also saw another reason why Christ came as a baby – he called Jesus the “Divine Child.” Jesus wanted to show God’s identification the powerless. Jesus was born in a stable with only swaddling clothes to cover him (which kept him warm and acted as a diaper.) Jesus was born to simple parents, Mary and Joseph, who were ordinary people; not wealthy, and very family oriented. The holy family shared their first dwelling in a stable using the breath of animals to keep them warm. Jesus wanted to teach us that God is close to the poor and broken hearted. I know that we all enjoy the warm and tender crib scene of Christmas that brings us happy feelings. However, may we never forget that Christmas is also a time to remember that there is a lot of poverty and suffering in our world today. People are hungry and homeless and without family support. They need to know that God loves them most especially when we reach to them. Also, when we accept our own poverty of spirit. As we enter this solemn and joyful season. Let us keep our mind and hearts open to the poor in the world, never judging nor condemning them. Let us also see our own poverty in whatever form it takes in our lives, as an invitation to Jesus to be born and reborn into our hearts every single day.                                                                                                     ~ Fr. John