Advent is a time of stories, of Jesus’ birth so dear,
But also a time to look within, to see ourselves clear.
We shouldn’t be comfortable with hunger near our door,
For their pain lasts longer than the season’s festive lore.
We shouldn’t be at ease while wars claim countless lives,
Or ignore the suffering that in our midst survives.
Generosity in holidays should stretch throughout the year,
To soothe the cries of those we hold so near.
The alternative is trusting in a King born in a trough,
Who teaches us to care for all, not to shrug or scoff.
For people who trust in God, status means so little,
Christ showed love’s vast power, born in a place so brittle.
He was strung upon a cross for truths that pierced the heart,
Speaking to a world content, that needed a fresh start.
So in this Advent season, let’s not seek comfort’s call,
But strive to make a difference, with love and care for all.
Let’s open up our hearts, extend a helping hand,
To those who are in need, across this troubled land.
For in each act of kindness, in every selfless deed,
We honor the spirit of Christ, and plant a hopeful seed.
By Medard Laz
This poem challenges the temptation to turn Advent into a season of comfort rather than conversion. It insists that waiting for Christ is not passive or sentimental, but morally demanding.
The manger and the cross are held together, reminding us that the child we celebrate grows into a King who confronts injustice and indifference. Advent, then, becomes a time of honest self-examination: how can we sing of peace while ignoring hunger, war, and migrants suffering at our doorstep?
The poem refuses to confine generosity to a single season. It calls for a faith that stretches beyond holiday gestures into daily responsibility. By pointing to a King born without status and crucified for truth, it exposes how little excuses comfort can offer.
True Advent hope is not found in retreat, but in engagement — in choosing compassion, extending mercy, and allowing love to disrupt our ease. In doing so, each act of kindness becomes a quiet proclamation that Christ is still being welcomed into the world.
When YOU see the Manger do YOU also see the Cross….. for they are held together with wood?
ARE YOU PART OF THE INN CROWD, OR ARE YOU ONE OF THE STABLE FEW!
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