Thursday, September 23, 2010

Holy Childhood

I'm a blessed woman.  God gave me a son about 10 years ago.  When I pray or attend Mass during advent, throughout Christmas, or on the feasts of the births of John the Baptist or Mary, I find myself in meditation recalling all of the sensations of pregnancy, birth, and infancy. 

I really loved being pregnant.  I loved the feeling of the life inside of me.  I loved being big and round.  When he was born, I loved to hold my son. I loved to feed him.  I loved to make him laugh.  In fact it has been my goal to laugh a little with my son everyday of his life.  I still love to brush his cheek with my hand. 

The sound of his laughter is music.  I imagine Dante's music of the spheres being an infectious harmonious laughter of infinite depth and variation.  I imagine the laugh of Mary as a child, or of Jesus as a Babe, being that kind of infectious laugh.  Imagine the pleasure Mary had in stroking His soft baby cheeks.  I imagine those times when a baby voice is heard in church and people smile at the words.  I imagine Jesus could make a whole town laugh as a child. 

Do you think that Mary and Joseph ever chased Jesus around the house to tickle Him?  Did God giggle when His toes squished in the mud?  Did he laugh and splash in the bath?  Did he rub noses and coo softly in His Mother's ear? 

Did Mary relax and fall asleep holding Him after nursing?  Did He pounce on Joseph in the morning with the pleasure of a new day ahead?  Did Joseph and Mary smile with joy as Jesus exhibited some new level of learning or understanding?

These are the purest pleasures of parenthood. I'm sure God in his infinite love, gave them to His chosen earthly parents.

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