December 11, 2025.

Today's reflection is written by Liz Hulmec.

Going to the sacrament of confession at lunchtime is my reset button at work, and this week was no different.

The conflicts with and harsh words from my colleagues were constantly weighing me down,

and my lack of kindness in return led me to the confessional.

I was hoping to head back to the office quickly with an easy penance, but instead the priest

instructed me, please pray one decade of the rosary for your colleagues' well-being.

Huh?

Today's first reading left me with the same austra confusion as that day in the confessional.

In Isaiah, we hear the Lord speaking to his people, and his exact words were not ones that sell out with me at first.

Fear not, O worm, Jacob, O maggot, Israel, I will help you.

Isaiah chapter 41, verse 14. What? Just like in confession, I did not like

these words on what they meant. I was shocked to hear what I was supposed to pray for my challenging

coworkers and their well-being. It was as baffling as God calling his chosen people, those humbling terms,

an explanation of how much they need him.

In both situations, I felt an immediate sense of discomfort, wanting to turn and run away.

Why?

God has a way of pointing out what we need to hear, and for me, that was my need for true compassion at work and humble reliance on him, things I was

repetitively graphing with as of late. God reminded me in his word and through my penance that

he gets to tell me where I need to grow in holiness and that I shouldn't run from his uncomfortable

answer either. The Lord will find a way to gently call out the exact things we struggle with,

the ways we fail to be the best version of ourselves, asking us to work on them as our path to

...