Advent with St. John Henry Newman
Reflections by Fr. Jason Smith, LC
I once gave a tour of a Catholic church to a group of non-Christians. As we passed near the tabernacle, I instinctively genuflected. One of them, startled, reached out to steady me—thinking I’d tripped.
It became the perfect opening to explain what Catholics mean when we say Christ is truly present.
That simple motion—one knee touching the ground—speaks a language greater than words. Kneeling says: Someone greater than me is here.
St. John Henry Newman wrote: “Were we pure as the Angels, yet. . . we could not but fear. The Seraphim themselves veiled their faces while they cried, ‘Glory!’”
Even the angels veil their faces before God’s radiance—not out of fear, but in loving awe. And if the purest spirits bend low before his glory, how much more should we, who need his mercy?
Every genuflection is a confession of faith—a quiet act of humility in a world that rarely bows before anyone or anything. In the simple act of kneeling, we remember who God is and that we are not.
So let us kneel and pray: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Reflection: When have you experienced true awe—where words fell away and only wonder remained? How might you approach God with that same reverence in your daily life this Advent?
In this Advent series, Fr. Jason Smith draws from his personal experiences and St. John Henry Newman’s own Advent sermons, connecting themes like reverence, awe, and intimately encountering Christ in the simplicity and stillness of ordinary life. Pray with us on The Regnum Christi App, sign up to have each day’s reflection delivered to your inbox every morning, or follow the RC Spirituality Center on Instagram and Facebook.
Ordained in 2006, Fr. Jason has served as a Legionary priest throughout the US, primarily in New York and Michigan. His newest role has called him south, as the superior of the Houston community of the Legionaries of Christ.
