Children and the real Christmas story

A child recounted: «I only knew about Santa Claus, but nobody has ever told me the real story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus!» Another child said, «Oh yes, people have forgotten, but we can remind them about it! Still another added «All the other kids in the world have already started!»

These are the gen4 boys and girls “who love everybody the way Jesus does and want to show everyone that He is the greatest gift of all!”

They learnt this from Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, who had urged them to “Let Jesus be born in your midst with your love, so that it will always be Christmas! […] We can offer Jesus in our midst to the whole world, and bring this love and joy to the streets, schools, and to the big and small… everywhere!”

Years ago at Christmas, while walking through the streets of Zurich, Switzerland, Chiara had seen the shop windows adorned with lights and toys, and snow on the trees, Santa Claus… and had asked herself: But where is Jesus? He was not there. And so she wrote: «This wealthy world has taken Christmas for itself, but has dislodged Jesus.»

«What does it mean to ”dislodge?”» A child asked. It means that Jesus has no place to go to, like when he was born and there was no room for him anywhere.» It was then that Chiara told us «So we must welcome him, and celebrate his coming! We, gen4 around the world, wish to do this and invite everyone to do the same.».

Then came the idea of making a statue of Baby Jesus and nativity scenes to offer to those who do not know or do not remember that at Christmas, Jesus is more important than buying gifts.

«We want to recall that Christmas is the feast of Jesus. And we tell people: do you want to bring him home with you? Some answer no, some keep walking on and do not even stop, but others stop and so we give these little statues of Jesus, or the nativity scenes we have made. We do this in the main squares of the big cities and in the shopping centers; we even give it to our mayors and go to the homes for the aged. We attract attention with our stands and concerts, and organise Christmas parties for many children. It is like a wave of happiness that overwhelms us all with happiness and brings the “celebrated Guest” back as the central point of Christmas.»

On Sunday, 20 December, St. Peter’s Square will celebrate the Children’s Jubilee and Pope Francis will bless the statues of Baby Jesus. On the same day, the TV programme Sua Immagine (Rai Channel 1 at 10.30), will be dedicated to children, and will broadcast the reportage on the project “They Have dislodged Jesus.”