Finding True Peace in the Advent
Advent #3 | December 7, 2025
Dr. Greg Burch
Associate Professor of Global Development
Some years ago, when our family was living and working in Costa Rica, one of our neighbors invited us to participate in a Christian tradition called Las Posadas. “The kids will love it!” she said. Curious, we joined a small group gathered on the street, candles in hand, as someone passed us a booklet of songs and Scriptures. Before entering the house, we read aloud from the text: “Is there any room in the inn?” “My wife is pregnant and in need of a place to stay.” Suddenly, it clicked—we were reenacting the Christmas story.
As we moved from house to house that evening, I began to feel something deeper. I imagined Joseph’s growing burden as he searched for shelter for Mary, who was nearing childbirth. Did he and Mary experience that “peace like a river” we often sing about on that holy and silent night? Scripture tells us Joseph was from the line of David, and Bethlehem was David’s own town (Luke 2:4). Surely, there must have been family nearby—yet still, no room. Their journey must have felt lonely, uncertain, and full of longing for a place of welcome.
That Advent night, walking with our neighbors in Costa Rica, I felt a faint echo of their search. Our faculty focus this year is on belonging—ensuring that every student feels seen, valued, and included in our classrooms and community. That longing to belong is woven into the human story, and it is also at the heart of Christmas.
Peace can be difficult to find when we feel excluded or displaced. I imagine Joseph’s discouragement as each door was closed to him and Mary. Yet Scripture reminds us that God’s peace – shalom – is not dependent on our circumstances. It is a holistic peace, one that encompasses right relationships with God, others, and creation. Shalom is the wholeness and harmony that Christ came to restore for all of humanity (Is. 32:16–18; Col. 1:19-20).
Christmas, for many, is not an easy season. Our memories and losses can make the holidays bittersweet. And yet, the story of Las Posadas—and the original journey of Mary and Joseph—reminds us that God meets us precisely in those places of searching and uncertainty. Perhaps we resonate in more ways than one with a sense of not belonging. It is good to know God has a place for us in the Shalom community.
Going back to Costa Rica. Later that night, after our reenactment, one home finally opened their doors to welcome us in. We sang traditional songs, prayed together, and shared tamales—a Costa Rican Christmas favorite. In that warm and noisy home, surrounded by neighbors and new friends, I caught a glimpse of the belonging Christ offers to all of us in this Shalom community.
This Advent, may we make room in our hearts, homes, and communities for others seeking peace, welcome and belonging. For when we do, we not only remember the holy family’s journey – we live out the story of Emmanuel, “God with us” and all that the peace of Advent and belonging have to offer us.
