JUNE 9, Luke 2:12

“Let’s go see baby brother”, Daddy might have said to you smilingly one day. Then it was followed by a trip to the hospital. There you walked through corridors and saw nurses and doctors. Everywhere was so squeaky clean. In the room, Mummy was sleeping. “She went through hard labour,” you heard Daddy whisper to grandma. Then it was back to the corridors and there you saw a few excited people peering through a large glass panel, and you may wonder, ”Which one is my baby brother?” There were rows of trolleys and in each was a bundle. Some bundles were pink and some were blue...

However, when we read about the birth of Jesus, we find a very different scene. There were no nurses, doctors or hospital beds. But there was one thing in common. The babies were bundled up. Jesus was “the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes”. Of course, not all babies were born in a dirty and smelly manger. Most were delivered by midwives. Then, they would wrap the baby up with a piece of cloth. They believed that a baby wrapped this way would feel secure and have straight arms and legs! Whenever the mother changed the cloth or bathed the baby, she would rub the baby with olive oil which is plentiful in Israel.

Even today, there are some nannies who believe in wrapping the babies with a white nappy cloth like the Jewish mothers. They believe that the baby would feel comfortable and not have “wind” in the tummy.

From the beginning of time, everyone loves babies and welcome them into the family. Every child is a gift from God. The greatest gift is Jesus.

Draw the face of the baby in the swaddling clothes.

Thought: Baby Jesus was God’s greatest gift to mankind.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for baby Jesus, the holy child that Thou did send a long time ago to be the Saviour of the world and to be my Saviour too! In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.