A world without dangers

The news is full of heart-wrenching tragedies that occur when parents take their eyes off their small children “just for a second.”

In that context, this familiar verse of messianic prophecy from today’s first reading (Isaiah 11:1-10) can really get people’s attention (if not terrify them):

The baby shall play by the cobra’s den,
and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair.

By the grace of God, we can work toward some messianic prophecies, but this is not one of them.

A world without dangers is totally beyond the reach of humankind.

A world without dangers – a world of total and true peace and of freedom from pain or fear – will come only in Eternity and when Christ comes again.

In the meantime, with the help of God, we must do our best to keep our children from snakes and all the dangers of this world so we may all together live on this sometimes scary planet as the light of Christ and as ambassadors of the true peace that only Christ can give.