Why do some Catholics worship the "baby Jesus?"

[elmwood]

Throughout my hometown, there’s various shrines devoted to the baby Jesus. Some older Polish people will display an Infant of Prague doll in the back of their car; it’s basicaly the Baby Jesus in what looks like a wedding dress. I went to a Catholic elementary school, and nuns would tell us that various acts would make the “little baby Jesus” upset. There’s even prayers to the Baby Jesus …

O Divine Redeemer Jesus Christ, prostrate before Thy crib, I believe Thou art the God of infinite Majesty, even though I do see Thee here as a helpless babe. I humbly adore and thank Thee for having so humbled Thyself for my salvation as to will to be born in a stable. I thank Thee for all Thou didst wish to suffer for me in Bethlehem, for Thy poverty and humility, for Thy nakedness, tears, cold and sufferings.

Would that I could show Thee that tenderness which Thy Virgin Mother had toward Thee, and love Thee as she did. Would that I could praise Thee with the joy of the angels, that I could kneel before Thee with the faith of St. Joseph, the simplicity of the shepherds. Uniting myself with these first adorers at the crib, I offer Thee the homage of my heart, and I beg that Thou wouldst be born spiritually in my soul. Make me reflect in some degree the virtues of Thy admirable nativity. Fill me with that spirit of renunciation, of poverty, of humility, which prompted Thee to assume the weakness of our nature, and to be born amid destitution and suffering. Grant that from this day forward, I may in all things seek Thy greater glory, and may enjoy that peace promised to men of good will.

And another …

I ask the Lord, tiny and defenceless as he appears before us in the crib, to inspire in every heart tenderness and compassion:

Wipe away, Baby Jesus, the tears of children!
Embrace the sick and the elderly!
Move men to lay down their arms
and to draw close in a universal embrace of peace!
Invite the peoples, O merciful Jesus,
to tear down the walls created
by poverty and unemployment, by ignorance and indifference,
by discrimination and intolerance.
It is you, O Divine Child of Bethlehem,
who save us, freeing us from sin.
It is you who are the true and only Saviour,
whom humanity often searches for with uncertainty.
God of peace, gift of peace for all of humanity,
come to live in the heart of every individual and of every family.
Be our peace and our joy!
Amen!

I’m curious about why some Catholics worship the “baby Jesus” in place of the normal, grown-up Jesus. Do they believe there are two or more Jesii? Can you pray to different Jesusues of different ages, for instance the “toddler Jesus”, " teenage Jesus" or the “22 year old slacker carpenter Jesus?”

FWIW, in my hometown some even worship the baby Virgin Mary, or the Bambina Maria. What’s the deal with that?

[ianzin]

Why do some Catholics worship “baby Jesus”? Because somewhere along the line this is presented to them as a worthwhile thing to do and they go along with it (insert sheep sound effects here). It’s a combination of tradition, dubious faith teaching, cult brainwashing, sentimentality, iconographic fetishism and faith tourism.

If you have a question about Catholic faith and practice, and you expect ‘reason’ to prevail, then you either don’t understand the Catholic faith or you don’t understand what ‘reason’ means.

[MissMossie]

IME, it isn’t worshiping the baby Jesus instead of the adult Jesus, its recognizing Jesus as God in all stages of life. For some people, it’s awesome (as in awe inspiring, not really cool) trying to wrap their minds around the idea of God willingly being born as a helpless baby. The preambles to the prayers you posted finish answering the rest of the “why people talk to baby Jesus” question.

I’ve not ever heard of devotions to the infant Mary, but I suppose that it would be derived from the idea that Mary was without any original sin from the moment of her conception. Why then would they have a baby rather than a little bundle of cells representing the newly fertilized egg that would become Mary? My only guess is that babies are cuter.

[Colibri]

@ianzin

Why do some Catholics worship “baby Jesus”? Because somewhere along the line this is presented to them as a worthwhile thing to do and they go along with it (insert sheep sound effects here). It’s a combination of tradition, dubious faith teaching, cult brainwashing, sentimentality, iconographic fetishism and faith tourism.

If you have a question about Catholic faith and practice, and you expect ‘reason’ to prevail, then you either don’t understand the Catholic faith or you don’t understand what ‘reason’ means.

[Moderating]

ianzin, this kind of post is inappropriate for GQ.

From the GQ Rules:

1. Political, religious, or professional jabs, hijacks, and trolling prohibited.

Emphasis mine.

Do not do this again.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator

[Colibri]

@elmwood

I’m curious about why some Catholics worship the “baby Jesus” in place of the normal, grown-up Jesus. Do they believe there are two or more Jesii? Can you pray to different Jesusues of different ages, for instance the “toddler Jesus”, " teenage Jesus" or the “22 year old slacker carpenter Jesus?”

FWIW, in my hometown some even worship the baby Virgin Mary, or the Bambina Maria. What’s the deal with that?

Since the OP seems to be seeking information about personal beliefs rather than asking about official Catholic doctrine, it isn’t really appropriate for GQ.

Off to GD.

Colibri
General Questions Moderator

[Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup]

There’s a difference between “worship” and “veneration.”

It’s possible to venerate a certain idea or aspect of Christ’s existence because that enables us to focus on emotions we wish to bring out or express.

If I wish to explore the fatherly aspect of love in a devotional sense, then to venerate the infant Jesus might be a means by which I could do that.

Christ was a person, but He is also a concept, and contemplation of that concept can be spiritually valuable.

[Little_Nemo]

Jesus was a manifestation of God. He had an Earthly existence for around thirty years back in the first century. So if you’re going to worship him it makes as much sense to worship his manifestation as an infant as it does to worship his manifestation as an adult. Neither manifestation is physically present on Earth now and presumedly both are an equally valid channel to God.

[Bill_Door]

@Mark Twain

“In a museum in Havana there are two skulls of Christopher Columbus, one when he was a boy and one when he was a man.”

No really, it’s what the others have said, it’s all a result of using different aspects of Jesus as a way to commune with God.

[Malacandra]

IANAC, but the Son did a number of important things: teach, perform miracles, and be crucified… but also, be incarnated in the first place, and assume the mantle of humanity from babyhood onwards. So yes, remembering that He consented to be born a helpless baby in poverty is not so very hard to understand. And from one point of view, God existing outside time is eternally the baby as he is eternally the famished preacher in the wilderness confronting Satan, eternally the Crucified, and eternally the Risen.

[sqweels]

There’s no theo-logic here. Every year we revisit the story of Jesus’ birth, and so the image of the baby Jesus is stuck in everyone’s mind, becoming ripe for manipulation.

[BrainGlutton]

“Jesus loves you, dear friends, ALL the Jesii love you . . . They want you . . . They want your ESSENCE . . .”

– Ivan Stang

[Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup]

“Dear Eight Pound, Six Ounce, Newborn Baby Jesus, don’t even know a word yet, just a little infant, so cuddly, but still omnipotent. We’d just like to thank you for all the races I’ve won and the $21.2 million, LOVE THAT MONEY! That I have accrued over this past season. Also due to a binding endorsement contract that stipulates I mention PowerAde at each grace, I just wanna say that PowerAde is delicious and it cools you off on a hot summer day and we look forward to PowerAde’s release of mystic mountain blueberry. Thank you, for all your power and your grace, Dear Baby God, Amen.”

“Dear Lord Baby Jesus, lying there in your…your little ghost manger, lookin’ at your Baby Einstein developmental…videos, learnin’ 'bout shapes and colors…”

[BrainGlutton]

@Malacandra

IANAC, but the Son did a number of important things: teach, perform miracles, and be crucified… but also, be incarnated in the first place, and assume the mantle of humanity from babyhood onwards. So yes, remembering that He consented to be born a helpless baby in poverty is not so very hard to understand. And from one point of view, God existing outside time is eternally the baby as he is eternally the famished preacher in the wilderness confronting Satan, eternally the Crucified, and eternally the Risen.

Still, since you put it that way, you can sort of understand why the Monophysites had (have?) a problem with the idea of God wallowing in his own shit – or, later, dealing with things like acne and nocturnal ejaculations and ingrown toenails.

[Malacandra]

@BrainGlutton

Still, since you put it that way, you can sort of understand why the Monophysites had (have?) a problem with the idea of God wallowing in his own shit – or, later, dealing with things like acne and nocturnal ejaculations and ingrown toenails.

Well, if you like. But, whatever the Monophysites’ opinions on the matter, I incline to the view that there is nothing inherently shameful in any of the above aspects of the human condition, and a great deal to find reassuring in the belief that God made Man did not shrink from any of it. Honi soit qui mal y pense.