DAY 18 —“The Bridge in the Fog”

“Welcome again. We are in Day 18 of Advent,
and this is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic —
where courage often appears in gentle forms.”

“Today’s story begins at a bridge…
covered in thick winter fog.”

“A man approached an old wooden bridge
stretching across a forest valley.
But the fog was so thick
he could not see the other side.
He hesitated.
Should he wait?
Turn back?
Or risk stepping into what he could not see?
An elderly shepherd walking behind him said,
‘Son, you don’t need to see the whole bridge…
just trust the plank beneath your foot.’
So the man stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Courageously.
And halfway across,
the fog thinned —
revealing a beautiful valley
that had been hidden all along.”

“Courage is not the absence of fear —
it is choosing to move
even when clarity is missing.
God rarely shows the entire path.
He invites us
to take the next step
on the plank He strengthens beneath our feet.
Advent courage is quiet courage —
the bravery to believe
that God walks the bridge with you.”

“So today ask:
‘Where is God asking me to take one brave step?’
And whisper:
‘Lord, steady my foot…
and walk with me through the fog.’”

DAY 17 “The Unexpected Song”

“Welcome again. We are in Day 17 of Advent,
and this is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic —
where simple moments reveal God’s joyful surprises.”

“Today’s story begins on a quiet train…
with a song no one expected.”

“A group of tired passengers sat in a train compartment,
faces heavy, hearts drained by the long day.
One young mother sat holding her little daughter,
who suddenly began humming softly —
a bright, innocent tune.
At first, the passengers ignored it.
But slowly, smiles began to appear.
The tune grew into a gentle song,
and soon the whole compartment fell quiet
just to listen.
When she finished,
an elderly man wiped a small tear and said,
‘Thank you, little one…
I had forgotten what joy sounds like.’
In that moment,
a tired train turned into a place of unexpected grace.”

“Sometimes joy doesn’t shout —
it hums.
It enters quietly,
like a melody you didn’t know you needed.
Advent reminds us that joy is not the absence of struggle —
it’s the presence of God
in the middle of it.
Joy finds us
in ordinary moments,
in sudden kindness,
in soft music,
in gentle surprises
that remind us
we are not alone.
Joy is God whispering,
‘I’m here. Keep going.’
Let your heart listen.
Joy might be closer than you think.”

“So today, ask yourself:
‘Where did God hide a small joy for me today?’
Let your spirit notice the melody.
And whisper:
‘Lord, awaken joy in me again.’
This is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic.”

Welcome once more. We are in Day 16 of Advent,
and this is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic —
where everyday moments invite us
to slow down and make room for Christ.”

“Today’s parable unfolds at a crowded street crossing…
where everyone seemed to be in a race.”

“It was lunch hour in a bustling city.
The pedestrian light turned green
and people surged forward —
heads low, feet fast, hearts elsewhere.
Everyone was rushing:
to errands, to meetings, to responsibilities.
In the middle of the crowd,
an elderly woman paused right at the edge of the road.
Instead of stepping forward,
she tilted her face upward
and looked at the sky.
A single patch of blue
peeked through the moving clouds.
She smiled to herself —
a slow, peaceful smile
that didn’t match the pace of the world around her.
A young woman beside her asked,
‘Ma’am, aren’t you crossing?’
The old woman chuckled softly and said,
‘Child, the road isn’t going anywhere.
But these quiet moments with God…
they pass quickly if you don’t stop to see them.’
Then, gently and without hurry,
she began to cross.”

“We spend much of life rushing —
rushing to solve problems,
rushing through conversations,
rushing through prayers,
rushing through our own emotions
because slowing down feels uncomfortable.
But Advent invites us into a different pace.
Jesus comes quietly,
slowly,
softly —
not with noise,
but with a whisper.
If our lives are moving too fast,
we might miss Him.
The elderly woman teaches us something holy:
the world will always demand speed,
but God asks for stillness.
Peace does not grow in busy hearts.
Hope does not bloom in hurried souls.
Advent is your invitation
to look up from the race
and notice the God
who is already beside you.”

“So today, pause and ask yourself:
‘Where am I rushing past God?
And where is He asking me to slow down,
even just for a moment?’
Let your heart breathe.
Let stillness find you.
And whisper this Advent prayer:
‘Lord, slow my spirit
so I don’t miss Your presence today.’
This is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic.
May holy stillness fill your heart.”