Embracing Peace: Gratitude, Growth, and Love in the Advent Journey

Reflection 1: Longing for Peace

Recently, in my faith-sharing group, we talked about our favorite seasons. To my surprise, most of us chose Fall, particularly November and December. We love Fall because the weather turns colder, the days grow shorter, the leaves fall, and, of course, Christmas is just around the corner.

Now, as I journey through Advent, I’ve noticed two opposing movements within me: anxiety and peace. On one hand, I feel anxious about buying gifts, sending Christmas cards, organizing, and attending various events to prepare for Christmas. On the other hand, there’s a longing for peace—a deep desire to experience the true spirit of the season.

Last night, I attended an Advent retreat at my parish. The theme was Pilgrims of Gratitude. The retreat director invited us to count our blessings one by one. Although it had been a long day, I walked away from the retreat with a profound sense of peace. However, when I woke up this morning, I suddenly remembered the Sunday Gospel faith-sharing group meeting I had forgotten about. Anxiety crept back in because I wasn’t prepared. But then God reminded me of the retreat message: “Be at peace.” In that moment, I felt calm again.

I hope and pray that we can all focus on the main reason Jesus came: to bring us peace in the midst of life’s chaos and anxieties. May we, like Mary, prepare the way of the Lord by carrying God’s hopes and dreams within us.

Fr. Manh Tran, S.J.

Reflection 2: Finding Peace Amid the Chaos

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – Jn 1:4

I used to think that when everything in my life became perfectly ordered and I had no more troubles, surely then I will be at peace. Years ago, however, I happened upon a short story that explained to me how peace was not about having tranquility when life has no troubles. It isn’t even about having that tranquility despite the troubles. It’s about having tranquility with the troubles: an acknowledgment of the current reality and an acceptance of them as a loved part of my life. I don’t love my troubles because I like the way they make me feel. Far from it. But I love them all the same because I would not be where I am today without them.

Grad school was by far the hardest time in my life. Do I miss it? I could never. Am I going to tell you all about it with a smile? Of course I am. Despite everything, grad school taught me how to find the silver lining, that every failure comes with a clue to success, and that I had the perseverance to go for it. Time and time again, I have troubles in my life, but God works through them to help me be a truer version of myself. It is in this that my trust in God has grown, and it is within that faith that I find peace.

With Christmas approaching, we all know that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, but you know what? God so loved me that He walks beside me.

An Nguyen

Reflection 3: A Peacemaker’s Cross

According to the Enneagram, I am a 9 which is also known as the Peacemaker. We are known to be accepting, trusting, stable, optimistic, and supportive. But we can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. This is a scarily accurate description of me.

This past Thanksgiving, I felt a sharp but familiar pull to bear my cross as the peacemaker in the family. Often in these conflicts, there is the notion of taking sides. Am I on the parent’s or the siblings? I simply want my family to be whole and happy, but resolving conflict is not a simple task.

Throughout the many seasons, the definition of a peacemaker has evolved from the definition above to be from the perspective of Jesus. Jesus doesn’t go along with others to keep the peace; he creates peace by going along with God, the Father.

In this week of Advent, I feel called to practice peace the way Jesus did. I believe the root of his peace is from God who is love. With love, I can help my family be more open to hearing each other’s thoughts with patience & kindness. With love, I can help each party understand that there were only intentions of good will. With love, I can help lay a foundation for the bridge of relationship to be stronger than ever. With love, peace is possible.

Dan Nguyen