FEAST OF SANTO NIÑO C
SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD
Lk 2: 41-52
MESSAGE
A long time ago in Austria, an old man placed an image of the Child Jesus on a Christmas tree. Soon, devotees flocked to the place to pray and expect miracles. And wonders they truly witnessed! Soon a church was built around the “Child on the tree,” a community sprung, and devotees came on pilgrimages. Everything started with the Holy Child!
The same phenomenon, in fact even more fervent, happened in the Philippines. The Child Jesus, the “Santo Niño” became the nucleus of a vibrant faith, the cornerstone of the community and the axis of living devotion. Though centered on the image of a child, the Santo Niño is not an invitation to infantilism and immaturity. Rather, this feast and devotion point us to the practice of a robust spiritual childhood.
What are the marks of spiritual childhood? First, it is a challenge to accept our imperfections. While there are no flaws in the Child Jesus, we have multiple weaknesses and failures in life. Jesus invites us not to ignore these but to allow these to lead us to humility. Second, it is the start of confidence. When we see ourselves as sinful and in need of help, we draw our strength not from our capacities but in the power of God who supplies what we lack. Third, it is a reliance on God’s mercy. The Santo Niño shows the mercy of God who sent his own Son to redeem us from sin and restore us to grace. In the midst of all the darkness of the world, the one light that we must focus on is the God who loves us as his dear children.
REFLECT
Dear Santo Niño, Son of God made man, lead me today to be humble before God and to seek his help in overcoming my many flaws and defects. I pray that you will make me truly mature in faith through the practice of the spiritual childhood you came to teach me. Amen.
