A Reflection for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent
Find today’s readings here.
“When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.”
Despite how I would ideally orchestrate my one wild and precious life, I am not a patient person. I want things to move faster. I want lines to disappear and I want decisions to be made in an instant.
As if the present moment is a stepping stone to something else, I catch myself calculating the seconds between me and my next destination. My mind leaps ahead to the next task, the next goal. And since moving to Manhattan five months ago, my impatience has only grown.
In the short line between me and my morning coffee, I triple-check my watch. Why must, for some people, the decision between oat and almond milk carry the same weight as naming a child? Then, during my commute, I cross my arms as my foot taps away on the subway’s yellow platform. How can the B train take four minutes to arrive when the timetable promises me three?
When the train finally pulls into the station, I angle for a seat near the door. As a fresh Manhattan resident, I’ve adopted a New Yorker’s pace, which is around 3.5-4.3 miles per hour. The second I am off the train, I zoom past tourists who stand aimlessly in front of the subway entrance. Seeing their selfie sticks raised high in the air like medieval jousting lances, I wonder: Why all of the pausing? Why the stopping, the waiting?
Dear reader, if you know anything about the season of Advent, you realistically might be asking the opposite question to me. Why all of the rushing? This season is all about waiting—not just waiting for the next train, the next meeting, or the next task—but waiting for the most profound event in human history: the birth of Jesus Christ.
Advent is not a time to rush. It is a season to slow down and embrace the stillness. Today’s Gospel really hammers this point home. As a rusher, I took it to heart.
In the Gospel, we see the quiet patience of Joseph, a man who was unsure and confused but still chose to trust in God’s timing. He didn’t rush ahead, forcing answers, but waited—listening to the angel’s message, trusting that God’s plan was unfolding even when he couldn’t see the full picture.
Mary, betrothed to Joseph, is found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit before the two live together. Joseph, a righteous man, plans to divorce her quietly to avoid shaming her. Then, the unexpected happens. The angel Gabriel appears to Joseph in a dream and instructs him to welcome Mary into his home. “For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her,” Gabriel says. “She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke from his dream, he did as Gabriel commanded. He welcomed Mary. His trust in God’s timing allowed him to be part of something much greater than he could have imagined. His patience enabled him to play a fundamental role in the fulfillment of the prophecy: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
The waiting in Advent, like the waiting in Joseph’s life, is not meant to be a mere pause or an inconvenience, but an invitation. It’s in the waiting that we find meaning, that we open ourselves to God’s presence. Patience can be difficult, especially when we are accustomed to a world that rushes forward. Yet, in this season of waiting, we are invited to cultivate patience—not as a passive act, but as an active trust in God.
Today’s Gospel teaches us that the principle part of faith is patience. And this Advent, I trust that God’s timing is perfect.
What is your favorite Advent/Christmas hymn?
My favorite Christmas hymn is “What Child is This?”, which is the focus of our latest episode of the “Hark!” podcast!
What are you most excited to work on at America in 2025?
In 2025, I would love to produce an entire episode of “Jesuitical” from start to finish.
What are you most grateful for this Advent season?
Support is a magnificent companion to the skill of patience, and I cherish the loving support of my family, friends and colleagues every season, but especially during Advent, this blessed season of waiting.
