The Christmas story we share with our children is about following God’s messengers and traveling towards Christ. Mary and Joseph both said, “Yes” to the angel’s request and brought Jesus into the world. The shepherds followed the angels’ proclamation and went to Bethlehem to meet Jesus. Last, the three kings followed a star to find our newborn king. Each of these people listened and followed God’s messengers which led them to meet and worship Jesus.
Parents and teachers at St. John the Baptist School are called to be God’s modern-day messengers to our children. It’s not an easy task, the world is far louder today than it was 2000 years ago when Jesus was born. Because of this, we must make sharing the message of Jesus a priority. Prayer is a daily practice at St. John the Baptist School, as I know it is in many of your homes. I ask that each of us make an extra effort to be true messengers of Our Lord this season. We want our children to know and worship Jesus in this world so they can one day join Him in heaven.
Bishop David Ricken summarizes it well: “If we don’t share our faith with our children, what will the world share with them instead? If we don’t pray for them, with them and teach them how to pray, where will they turn in difficulty and who will they turn to?”
I can’t think of a better gift to share with our children this Christmas than a love of and for Christ.
