It being Christmastime, yesterday I ran across a recording of “The Little Drummer Boy,” which I hadn’t listened to recently. It put me in touch with the wonder of Christmas, the stars in a tiny child’s eyes at the sheer beauty of a lighted Christmas tree, the astonishment at the mystery of the tiny baby lying in a manger.
Recently too, I saw photographs of a toddler getting to know his newborn sister, marveling at this new person who wasn’t here before, and now is.
And it made me think of the power of innocence. The innocence of the newborn baby, and the innocence of the little drummer boy.
It’s innocence that gives us the courage to offer our gifts. It’s innocence that lets us believe that our small, imperfect offerings may be accepted. It’s innocence that lets us receive the smile given in return, and be blessed.
What is innocence? It’s the opposite of sophistication. It puts us in the heart, not in the head. It protects us from the malintent of others and from outright danger. It places us close to our guardian angel, and it invites the guardian angel to walk with us.
All the while that we are wise as serpents, let us be harmless as doves. Especially at Christmas. Let us enter our heart. Let us welcome the newborn Christ, both outside and inside us. Let us be newborn ourselves.
Merry Christmas! and God bless us, everyone!