“I like the Christmas Jesus best…”
I laugh every time I watch the “Dear Lord baby Jesus” prayer scene from the comedy film Talladega Nights.
Will Ferrell’s character says grace before a family meal and insists on
praying to the “tiny infant Jesus,” despite protests from his wife and
father-in-law who suggest that he should pray to grown-up Jesus instead. “I like the baby version the best,” Ferrell’s
character says. I think that one of the
reasons so many of us find this scene funny is because, like any good comedy,
it reveals a profound truth about human nature - a truth that might challenge
and inspire us this Advent season.
It’s tempting to rush ahead to the innocence of Christmas,
to spend the next 25 days celebrating as if we were already in the manger with
the baby Jesus. The grown-up Jesus that
we hear about in the Gospel reading from today’s Mass is not so sweet and
cuddly as he commands “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming.” Yet, God’s invitation to us during Advent is to wait for this Jesus, too. We wait for Jesus to be born anew into our world and our hearts AND for Christ to come again at the end of time, to finally establish justice for and peace among all peoples. If we are patient (easier said than done), we will discover that there is grace in the waiting.
This song by Mumford & Sons has been helpful to me during Advent and other seasons of waiting in my life, reminding me that the One for whom I am waiting is worth the journey. I pray that it may be helpful to you as well.
This song by Mumford & Sons has been helpful to me during Advent and other seasons of waiting in my life, reminding me that the One for whom I am waiting is worth the journey. I pray that it may be helpful to you as well.
Do you find it difficult to remain in waiting during Advent? Ask God to help you wait.
Which “version” of Jesus do you do you relate to most? Spend some time with a different image of Jesus. Talk to this Jesus as you would talk to a friend.
