When God was in Your Life

Dear Friends,

Can I just begin by being very honest with you? As Campus Minister, I guess you should really just expect that from me. Anyway, the beginning of the Advent Season has snuck up on me. The month of September seemed to drag, but October and November have simply disappeared. I was asked to write an Advent Reflection . . . so many stories came to mind, stories about kids and alums and co-workers and all that I’ve experienced here at BSM in these many years. From those many stories, there’s a special one that I’d like to share with you, a story I call, “When God was in Your Life.”

It had been a long week, so I decided on this Saturday morning to get some work done around the house, work that I had been putting off for way too long. I had just started cleaning when my cell phone rang. I was happy, because even though I had just begun, I already needed a break. I was even happier when I saw a familiar name come up on my caller ID. Bill was an older alum; and while I hadn’t heard from him for awhile, I had heard about him through some of his close friends. When Bill was with us at BSM, he was super involved in campus ministry, working with me in all areas from retreats to peer ministry to our liturgy program. As I mentioned, I hadn’t heard from him, but friends had recently told me that he had drifted away from faith and family and everything that at one time gave meaning to his life. 

When I answered the call, I heard the voice of a young man in distress, sharing that his life was slowly unraveling with problems at work, in relationships, in just about every aspect of his life. I had to stop him at one point, suggesting that we get together to talk through all this. His car had broken down, one of the many issues he was dealing with, so I said I would go to his place. I had just recently become UBER proficient, so I decided to take one to Bill’s apartment.

When I arrived, I saw a very tired and anxious young man, brought down by the weight of so many problems he was dealing with. We sat for hours in his living room as I listened to the long list of issues: problems with co-workers and deadlines, problems with his car that he couldn’t afford to fix, problems in relationships with friends and with his girlfriend of two years. He shared that he hadn’t had contact with his family for over a year after a disagreement with his dad. I asked questions along the way as he continued to share his struggles and disappointments and the pain he was going through. Finally, at one point, I said, “Bill, do you remember what it was like when God was in your life?” He stopped, stared at me, and began to cry.

I went over and sat beside him as we talked about how he had moved away from his faith, leaving God in the past. It had happened gradually over time, not intentional but just letting life take him away, losing sight of what’s truly important, We came up with a plan, a plan to restore the part of him that had been lost along the way, a plan that would include more meetings with me to work on coming back to God. I assured Bill that God was there, waiting for him to come back.

It was late afternoon, and I offered a suggestion: “You know, Bill, we could get started on your return today. If we leave now, we can make Mass at my parish. I can get an Uber for us.” Bill looked at me with a smile that I hadn’t seen. “J, you actually Uber?” To which I replied, “There are some things that haven’t changed. You’re still a brat!”

Bill did go to Mass with me that afternoon; and yes. We did take an UBER. I will never forget that day or the young man who began a journey of rediscovery, a journey that restored so many things that had been lost along the way, a journey that brought him back to where God meant him to be.

For me, this is a perfect story for the Advent Season. Life, for all of us, can become so hectic, and it’s so easy to lose ourselves along the way. Advent is a time for us to have a fresh start, a new beginning, to remember what it means to have God in our lives, to say once again, “Come, Lord Jesus. Come!”

So, as I close this Reflection, please know that you are always in my thoughts and in my prayers, forever thankful for each of you who make up this Benilde-St. Margaret’s family. May this Advent Season offer you that new beginning, bringing you to a Christmas and the New Year of 2026 that’s filled with countless blessings. I’ll be back soon. I promise . . . I have so many more stories I need to share.

Love and Prayers,

Mike J