A crazy thing happened to me today! I sat in Mass and couldn’t get rid of a subtle ache in my heart. For some reason in prayer I was feeling the weight of life’s challenges, a little heavier than usual. So I prayed for our Blessed Mother’s intercession, that whenever I am at my lowest I would be comforted with extra love from my friends and family. So right after receiving Communion, I paused and prayed a Hail Mary and then got up from the pew. And, as if on cue, the Lord answered in the most beautiful and unexpected way. A stranger, someone I only see at church but never talk to, suddenly recognized me and put his arms out and hugged me and said, “God bless you! Merry Christmas.” I was still absorbing the fact that someone wanted to hug me, and then—boom—another woman, whom I’ve never spoken to before, comes up, looks me in the eye, and says, “I just love you, Franki!” And she wraps me in a warm squeeze. I started to happy cry. Because I knew. How faithful is our God to provide us with exactly what we need—right when we need it!
Some of you may be reading this right now in a place alone where there is no physical presence of someone to embrace you. And you know, if we’re feeling the weight of the world and also physically alone, it’s easy sometimes to feel as though God’s love is distant or that it’s is too silent. Having no tangible, human touch can make His presence feel more elusive. But here’s the thing: silence is not emptiness. It is sacred.
Silence is that pause after a really powerful piece of music, where the audience is so moved that they can only sit in awe. And it’s that stillness of a baby sleeping in her mom’s arms. It’s the space where Father speaks. I’ve misunderstood silence for so long. We often associate it with loss, or isolation, or rejection. But really, silence is the stillness that allows us to encounter God in a way words never could.
If for some reason, you’re in a moment where there is no one around to physically hug you, and you need it, let Jesus embrace you in the silence right now. Trust that His arms are wrapped tightly, gently around your precious heart. It’s a certain comfort that no human touch can replicate.
Let yourself be held by Him this Christmas, even in the quiet moments when your heart feels heavy.
Remember, in the silence of Advent, God is very very close– closer than you could dare believe. Let yourself be embraced. Let yourself be hugged. Let yourself be adored. You are never alone. Ask Him to reveal His comfort to you. And trust that He will find a way to pour His love into your longing heart… in ways you never expected.
