Delight in the children

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary on this day before the day before Christmas remind us of the preparation for increased intimacy with the Divine. Luke completes the story of the Birth of John the Baptist with the naming of the special child with a special name. He is to be called John. Earlier Luke revealed that one of the missions of John was to reunite people of Israel and God. A particular mention is the restoration of the relationship between parents and children. John’ s mission and that of the prophet Elijah are very similar according to the text from Malachi. The mission of Elijah was also to restore relationships between parents and children. What is the nature of the parent child relationship that within it there is a possibility to prepare for intimacy with the Divine? One aspect that psalmist and authors have identified is the “delight” of God for Creatures who are children is dimly mirrored in the “delight” of parents in their children. Our imaginations and hopefully recent experience of this “delight” will herald a renewal for our relationships this Christmas.