Advent with St. John Henry Newman
Reflections by Fr. Jason Smith, LC
One of the novices recently asked me, “Father, why do we have to study Latin? It’s so hard!”
I smiled. “Because some treasures take effort to unlock.”
St. John Henry Newman writes: “Such is the merciful severity with which He repels us that He may gain us more truly….’”
Discipleship isn’t meant to be easy—it’s meant to be real. God doesn’t hand us shortcuts; He gives us formation. Like Latin, the deeper meanings of faith reveal themselves slowly to those willing to wrestle with them. Every “hard thing” done in love becomes a quiet form of praise.
Advent calls us to patient endurance—to learn the language of heaven one syllable at a time. Christ Himself teaches us this holy grammar: syllable by syllable, cross by cross.
Let us pray, with perseverance and hope: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Reflect: What “hard thing” are you facing right now? How might God be using this to form you in love, faith, and perseverance 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.
