A Spirituality of Potholes

by Chris Koellhoffer, IHM    December 7, 2025

One of the side effects of living through an often frigid and icy winter season is its impact on roads and highways. Sooner or later, we’re almost guaranteed the appearance of the dreaded pothole. Small indentations, not so bad, but larger holes can puncture a tire or seriously damage an axle. I speak from the firsthand knowing of one who has encountered and lost the battle with just such an unwanted opening.

So imagine my surprise when, on a human rights delegation to Haiti in 1995, I was among a dozen people crammed into an old van as we drove painfully slowly up the steep climb towards Cap-Haitien on the north shore of Haiti. There were no guard rails on this narrow road, which was barely wide enough for a single vehicle to proceed. No guard rails, but definitely potholes so large they could easily have swallowed our entire van with room left over. What to do? How to proceed?

Suddenly, a band of ten-year-old boys leaped in front of us. With shovels in hand, they yelled at our driver to stop, and then with great excitement and gestures explained their mission. The boys, hoping to earn a few Haitian gourdes to feed their families, wanted to go ahead of us all the way to Cap Haitien, filling in the potholes before us as we traveled. I smile still, remembering what it was like to encounter an Advent scene in the middle of February.

So this season whenever I hear THE MESSAGE translation of Luke 3:5-6, quoting Isaiah 40:3-5, I’m back on that road to Cap Haitien:

Prepare for God’s arrival.
Make the road straight and smooth,
a highway fit for our God.
Fill in the valleys, level off the hills,
smooth out the rut, clear out the rocks.
Then God’s glory will shine and everyone will see it.

Advent calls for just this sort of faithful labor and creative reimagining. As we gaze at our world that is both beautiful and broken, where might we notice the “holes” of incompleteness, the forgotten but needed soul work, the openings to forgiveness and repair? What are the “valleys” in need of filling—with gratitude, with more engaged prayer, with deeper hopefulness? What rough edges or hardness of heart needs smoothing to move us towards a softer, more tender welcoming of the Christ Child present in everyone we encounter? With the grace of the Holy One, are we ready to get out our shovel to dig and fill in what is lacking? Oh, may it be so, this Advent and always!

Takeaway
Sit in stillness with the Holy One.
You may want to place before you a shovel, a hammer, or some other symbol/image that speaks of repairing and restoring our world.
Begin with your own heart as you reflect on the suggested questions in the reflection above.
Ask the Holy One, the source of grace in repairing and restoring, to help you with filling in any empty soul spaces that you may notice this holy season.

Featured Images: Matt Hoffman, Unsplash; Tomoe Steineck, Unsplash

NOTE:
Part of the story of my Haitian encounter was excerpted from Advent Here and Now, a booklet of reflections for each day of Advent that I authored in 2010.

Thank you for your prayer for all who were part of the Advent evening of reflection at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ, December 4. Special thanks to the Women’s Cornerstone members and members of the MOMS group who shared their wisdom and insight so tenderly and generously. It was a homecoming of sorts for me to return to and pray with these dear friends of many years.

December 8: Please remember in your prayer my community, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scranton) as we celebrate our feast day on December 8. You and your intentions are always in our hearts and in our prayers of gratitude.

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