The Hopes of Children of Men

Children of Men

I was deeply moved by a film last weekend, one of the best I have seen in a very long time. It was a nativity story in new skins and brought searing insight into the incarnation.

When we look at our own children (or lack of) we get a glimpse into the miracle of the incarnation, Christ as a child. And when this realization dawns on us, we become aware of how much hope children embody – for the parents, for the future, for humanity. Christ as a child is a summary of all these hopes. And nowhere else have I seen a metaphor for this so clearly than last Saturday night, on the screen. Thank you, Alfonso Cuarón.

Can it be possible that all of humanity’s answers and hopes can be met in a child? Can a child stop a war, a speeding bullet, a murderous rampage, racism, revenge? In Christ the answer is: yes, yes, yes, and yes.