Running the Race: Lessons from Cross Country for a Meaningful Advent

This fall, we spent a lot of time cheering on our kids at cross country races. Watching them strive after their goals and run with determination, I couldn’t help but notice how much these races reflect the spiritual preparation and perseverance we’re called to during Advent.

Prepare your heart like a runner prepares for a race

Preparing for races involves physical and mental preparation - everything from building mental resilience and developing strategy to fueling and training your body. But no runner prepares alone. Coaches, teammates, mentors, and parents are vital, offering guidance, accountability, encouragement—and yes, even clean uniforms! :) This preparation builds confidence and sets the foundation for reaching goals.

In today's Gospel reading, John the Baptist tells us to "Prepare the way of the Lord" (Luke 3:4). He's not talking about the preparations we make to decorate our homes and buy gifts. We need to prepare our hearts by carving out quiet time to be with Jesus in prayer and to reflect on how we are being called to repentance. How do we do this? By slowing down. Listening in the stillness. Reflecting on Scripture. Spending time with Jesus in Adoration. Going to Reconciliation. It's in these quiet moments, that we hear God’s voice, receive His love and mercy, and allow His light to grow in us. The more we open ourselves to His presence, the brighter we can shine His love to others.

Just as runners rely on coaches for accountability and guidance, I would highly recommend meeting with a spiritual director. A good spiritual director can help you discern God’s voice, navigate challenges in prayer, and grow deeper in your relationship with Christ. Like running, prayer is not always easy, but with guidance and spiritual wisdom, it becomes a transformative journey.

Strengthen your community just like runners do

Running day after day from June - November is grueling. Motivation wanes, weather conditions are tough, bodies ache. Why do kids keep showing up? Community. There’s a unique bond forged while pounding the pavement together. Runners understand the physical and emotional challenges, and they’re quick to offer encouragement—not just to teammates but even to competitors. They are goofy and crazy - I mean what can be more fun than running with friends during a snow storm in the cold of night?! Together, they’re united by a shared goal, pushing each other forward and finding joy in the journey.

As runners thrive in community, so can we. Advent is the perfect time to strengthen the bonds that remind us we’re not running this race alone. Ask Jesus in prayer how you can build deeper relationships in your own life. Are there friends or family who need your support or encouragement? Is it time to seek or extend forgiveness? Perhaps it’s planning a fun outing or simply spending quality time with loved ones.

When the Race Doesn’t Go as Planned: Trust God’s Course

Going into a race, runners make a game plan. They plan things like how fast to go out, who to run with and when to start the sprint at the end. Our son learned this firsthand during a recent race. His plan unraveled quickly—he didn’t get out fast enough, got boxed in, and tripped and fell in the chaos. To top it off, he felt the sting of spikes colliding with his head. Disappointed, he got up and finished but it wasn't the race he'd imagined.

Isn’t life often like that? No matter how carefully we plan, unexpected challenges trip us up. The saying goes, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans,” but there’s a comforting truth hidden in those words: God’s plans are always greater than ours.

This Advent, surrender your to-do lists and let God guide your course. If the kids devour the fudge before it’s served, let it go—the cookies will do. If bad weather derails travel plans, embrace the gift of a quieter, more intimate celebration. Didn’t finish the Christmas cards? Save them for next year. Be open to unexpected detours, like a new tradition suggested by a relative or a simpler approach to the season.

Running Together: Interceding for each other in Prayer Cross country is one of the few sports where everyone cheers for everyone, from the first to the very last runner. There’s something profoundly moving about witnessing someone give it their all.

I’ll never forget a race where a girl fell just before the finish line. The crowd collectively gasped as she struggled to get up. Step by step, she pushed forward, only to collapse again. Each time, she found the strength to rise, until finally, someone came to help carry her across the finish line. It didn’t matter what team she was on—everyone was cheering her on, wanting her to cross that line.

The wall of people cheering for all the runners at the finish line gives me chills every time. That moment always reminds me of the “great cloud of witnesses” described in Scripture—saints and angels cheering us on as we run the race of life. They intercede for us as we prepare to meet God in Heaven, urging us forward even when we stumble and fall.

This Advent, who in your life needs that kind of encouragement? Who needs your prayers? If you’re suffering, lift others up through intercession—it’s a powerful act of love. Ask God to give you boldness to pray with others, in person or over the phone. As you receive Christmas cards from friends and family, turn them into an opportunity for prayer: set one card out each day and commit to praying for that family during a meal or quiet moment.

Let’s approach our preparation this Advent like a race—equipped and ready, with strengthened relationships, surrendered to God’s plans, and sustained by prayer. And perhaps, like those runners, we’ll find ourselves celebrating the birth of Christ with more peaceful hearts and a deeper faith and love of Jesus. And, if you’ve never experienced the thrill of a cross-country race, maybe this is your invitation to do so! :)

I pray you have a blessed and joyful Advent.

If you’re still looking for the perfect gift, consider the Sacred Beauty Prayer Cards—a beautiful way to pause in prayer, listen to God’s voice, and grow in love of Christ.