As a mom and educator, I have certainly experienced Art Linkletter's sentiment that kids say the darndest things! I would also add that children say the profoundest things as well. One such occasion occurred during the Christmas season when my oldest son, Matthew, was just a little guy. While looking through cards that we received, Matthew was drawn to the picture on one of them. Matthew looked at me and said, Mommy, I really like this picture. Do you think that it could ever happen?

What do you mean, I asked?

Do you think that a lion and a lamb could ever be friends?

Well, I responded in my mom wisdom, the Bible says that it will happen.

Not missing a beat, Matthew said, Well, I hope I get to see that at the Cape May County Zoo!

Do YOU think that it could ever happen? An innocent question raised by a child has its answer in today's Advent readings - hope.

Do YOU think that it could ever happen? Isaiah challenges us to see that hope is daring to dream God's dream of peace - the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the baby shall play by the cobra's den, and the child lay a hand on the adder's lair.

Do YOU think that it could ever happen? Psalm 72 encourages us to sustain hope and imagine the possibilities for a just world, a world that we, as Pope Francis recently reminded us, must work tirelessly to bring about.

Do YOU think that it could ever happen? Hope in today's gospel from Matthew is the willingness to believe the message of repentance and the promise of one greater to come by someone who wore clothing made of camel's hair, had a leather belt upon his waist, and whose food was locusts and wild honey.

Do YOU think it could ever happen? The One-Who-Is-To-Come challenges us to live the prophetic call for a just and peaceful world.

Do YOU think it could ever happen? Ghandi's words ring true: Be the change you wish to see in the world. Let's hope we  can answer that call!

--Joan Dollinger
SSJ Associate