One day, grandpa went to visit his one and only grandson Joey. He walked in loaded with gifts and toys. Joey was in the playpen and when he saw his grandpa he started screaming, “Papa, papa, pick me up!” As grandpa went to pick him up, his daughter-in-law intervened and said to Joey, “No Joey, grandpa is not going to pick you up. You’ve been bad all morning.”
Joey only cried the louder. Grandpa was between a rock and a hard place. He wanted to pick up the love of his life, but his least favorite daughter-in-law was saying no.
The last scene of the story has a most joyful ending. Where do we find grandpa? He is in the playpen with Joey and they are laughing and playing and having a grand time!
Where do we find Jesus in our lives?
Jesus breaks down every barrier that we and others put up and gets down in the playpen of life with us so we can feel his love and presence right next to us.
This is what Jesus did in a manger at Bethlehem – He got down into the playpen of life with us.
This is what Jesus does on this Holy Family Sunday – He gets down into the playpen of life with us.
