Advent 2025
I've been uncomfortable for a while now. A month ago, one of my 8th grade student's father was rounded up my ICE. He was walking to work on a Saturday morning and got picked up. By Tuesday, he was deported to his home country. My student does not want to come back to school. Her mother now has to figure out how to keep her family going. I can't imagine the challenges they face. How will their lives be without their father? How will they move on?
Last week one of my 7th grade student shared with me how she has problems at home; she gets yelled at and hit by her mother. As she spoke to me, I remembered when my parents yelled, fought, and hit each other. It brought back difficult memories of pain, confusion, and lots of selfishness. I just sat there and listened as my student cried. After, I had a counselor speak to her and we got her outside help
My son Jacob told me about his friend who's parents are separated and getting a divorce, He shared how his friend spends a lot of time alone in his home now. After school, he spends hours by himself: doing homework, on his computer and with his dog. His friend told Jacob how he makes his own dinner, goes to the store, and does a lot on his own. Jacob said how he was growing up too fast and probably was not enjoying his childhood. Jacob grew sad and wanted to do something for him but didn't know what.
Being uncomfortable is a part of life. A clingy sock stuck on a toenail, a small undergarment, or old shoes that fail to provide support. These things we can do something about. Life challenges facing young people today are harder to overcome. I wonder how God sees these events I mentioned? I wonder where is the justice in all these lives of my students and of my son's friend? I wonder how they are expected to prepare the way of the Lord as proclaimed by Isaiah in 40:3? I wonder if God notices the pain? I wonder if God sees how these young people wait for their situation to change for the better.
My son Jacob plays futsal on Sundays in Harlem, NYC. Afterwards, we like to go to Patsy's which is on 119th street and 1st Avenue. As Jacob went with his older brother Matthew to get the pizza, a man comes up to my car and begs for food. My first reaction was to wave him off. He got closer to my door and said, "I don't want money. I just want a pie for me and my family." Again, I tried to wave him off. I was getting uncomfortable.
Then, it hit me. I am called to be uncomfortable!
I got out of my car and told him to walk to the pizzeria that I had a pie for him. I yelled over to my son to order another pie. When I walked into Patsy's, the man was ordering food.
I asked him, "What's your name?
"My name is Arthur."
"My name is Abraham. Here you go Arthur." and I gave him the pizza he asked for. He looked at me and thanked me and my sons.
The Advent season is about waiting, repentance, and prayer but we can do more. We can notice when people need help and cry out for justice like my student and her family after the father was picked up by ICE. We can listen and provide support for students who experience violence at home like my 7th grade student. We can help create gatherings, play dates and other events to prevent kids from being alone like my son Jacob's friend. We can also get closer to people, strangers when they knock on our window and ask for food like Arthur did.
As Christian Catholics, we are called to be uncomfortable. We know that our faith teaches us that we are not made for this world but our time on earth is a preparation for the world to come. We know that we cannot get all our wishes fulfilled here but we do my best with what we have and this brings peace. We bring peace, hope, love, and joy when we notice these challenging moments in our lives and in the lives of others. We give of ourselves because in this giving, we receive the peace God wants us to have.
While we have two more weeks left in Advent, and as we prepare for Christmas, look for moments when you are called to be uncomfortable. You might be surprised at how you too might be preparing the way of the Lord.
