Why the baby Jesus is less offensive.

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Friend of the CADRE, Tom Tom Graffagnino maintains an excellent site stocked full of poems some of which I have noted from time to time. He sends them to me more regularly than I make reference to them, but I encourage everyone who has a ken for such things to read through some of his poetry which is often quite clever.

In this Christmas season, however, he has written and published a new poem entitled "King Herod's Heart of Darkness"which I think deserves special attention. It examines the fact that it seems as if the baby Jesus is not nearly so offensive to the non-religious as the full grown Jesus. Sure, they try to ban the infant Jesus from being part of Christmas displays in public squares, but can you imagine the outrage if your local department stores started putting up Easter displays that included the risen Jesus exiting the tomb?

Yes, we like our Savior's bleating,
Not returning in the clouds...
No righteous Lion of Judgment,
Can dethrone this Herod-Crowd!

So, we stroke the Baby Jesus
Like a pet we keep around....
This way WE stay High 'n' Mighty!
And Christ?.....
Somewhat less profound.

Friend, just keep him in the stable...
Such a cuddly thing!....My Word!
In the manger He can't harm us...
See The Sign?
'Do Not Disturb!'

We enjoy the infant Jesus...
Truth be known,
He makes our day!
Tiny tots can never judge us...
And we like it just that way!

The poem is profound in its insight, and I have only quoted a portion here. I certainly recommend taking the time to read the entire poem and think about what Tom is saying -- I think he is in many ways right on.

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