Ben Lash receives Communion during an Oct. 28, 2018, Mass for people with special needs at Jesus the Divine Word Church in Huntingtown, Md. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)
THE MARRIED LIFE
Five babies were born to missionary families living in the small town of Allendale, Louisiana, this summer and fall. The last baby born was our newest grandson, Francis Liddel. I was there attending his baptism last month.
Visiting Allendale is always a bit of a surprise. A lot of life is happening in the midst of great poverty. It reminds me that Christ came into the world in a most unexpected place, a stable. Angels announced his birth to rough shepherds living in the fields.
Christ seems to have a propensity for the poor. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.” (Isaiah 1:1)
One of the mission works in Allendale is a small Christian school for the neighborhood children. Education and a safe environment for their children was one of the highest priorities the neighborhood parents had communicated to the mission team shortly after they arrived.
Recently my husband Tom and I have become more aware of another group of children who are especially close to the Lord’s heart: children with special needs. It seems almost every family has a child or grandchild that requires extra care or assistance. Some children are on the autism spectrum, others have Down’s Syndrome, and others struggle with psychological, emotional or behavioral difficulties.
Tom says, “When you first encounter these children you initially notice their difficulties or disruptive behavior, but it does not take long to experience their true selves, precious children who desire to be loved and to give love in return.”
God bless those parents who care for these children, using all their energy and resources —emotional, financial and spiritual — to nurture them. Most of all, like Mary by the manger, they love them unreservedly, not fully understanding what the future holds, trusting in God’s faithfulness.
What parent today does not feel overwhelmed and often unequal to the task? Life today seems increasingly complex. How much more for those parents with special needs children. Yet God always seems to provide. I know a family that had a son with cystic fibrosis. The mother was very meticulous by nature. She said that this God-given trait was exactly what her son needed, as keeping a clean, almost sterile home environment protected her son from frequent infections. Further, it was this son who through his own expression of faith and trust in God brought her and her husband back to their faith and church membership before his death at the age of 16.
Recently I met another woman who is excellent with young children, even though she was never married and has no children of her own. One day I watched her as she saw a baby crying, mightily unhappy, despite his mother’s efforts to comfort him. This woman leaned toward the child and started to talk softly. The baby looked startled, stopped crying, smiled and began to laugh. The transformation was so quick and unexpected I could hardly believe it. Later her neighbors told me they call her a “baby whisperer.” When parents struggle, the Lord is frequently present through friends and family.
I think Mary, the mother of the Christ Child, must be like these women. Her mother’s heart is so pure, she cares about all God’s children and can empathize with parents who struggle to care for these children in difficult times. Her intercession can be of great aid in times of need.
“When we are assailed by the doubt that we cannot succeed, or the sadness of not being adequate, let us allow ourselves to be looked upon by the ‘merciful eyes’ of Our Lady, for no one who has asked for her help has ever been abandoned!” says Pope Francis.
Christmas is a time of hope for all families. God is the Father of our children too, and he is ever at their side. In fact, he has great plans for them, and love never fails.
