Advent 14
Saturday, Second Week of Advent
10 December 2022
I have a problem with people at Hamilton. Often, I do not quite like them at all... because why are they always so insightful? Fortunate as I am to know some brilliant and spirited souls, there are times when I feel overwhelmed by some of what they say.
An example: I was in my Ancient Philosophy class and my professor, the eclectically eccentric Justin Clark, bared his soul and shared why he chose this field of study. He said something along the lines of establishing a set belief system and aligning his desires towards that system to lead a happier life. The study of philosophy made this a reality for him. It is this studying that moulded him into the man he is today.
What does it mean to study something? What does it mean to be a student? The Gospels are peppered with instances of Jesus being called “rabbi”—a teacher. But, for Jesus to be a teacher, this insinuates that anyone who claims to follow Him must be a pupil. More than not, we forget this. We are students and learning is a continual process for us. There is no end to knowing and loving Jesus. This is why prayer, worship and a study of the Word must be intentionally etched into daily living. If life is the greatest test, will we be able to say at the end of it that we prepared accordingly for it?
During my time as a student across multiple institutions, I have realized that it is hard to study that which you despise. I can recount multiple traumatic experiences from that one time I thought it was a smart idea to take Economics. Spoiler alert: it was not. What has somewhat made my learning more bearable, however, is trying to ascertain what there is to love about the subject matter I grapple with. And very few questions are more powerful in the English language than “Why?”
Why are we celebrating Advent? Why are we in this current season? Why are you reading this email right this second and not doing something else? Ultimately, why should we know and love Jesus?
The days leading up to Christmas always remind me of my own shortcomings. Not in a pitiful manner, but in one of gratitude. Jesus came to this earth for me. For me: an undeserving and broken individual. Why? Because He chose to love me. And the mark of true love is sacrifice. He chose to love you too. He chose to love humanity, so much so that His birth guaranteed unmerited grace for those who seek it. What a concept—grace.
Fellow pupils, how will we know and love Jesus during this time? How will we make sure that we do not get engrossed in the hubbub of things and remember that He happens to be the reason for the season? How will we be students of His?
I have a problem with people at Hamilton. But sometimes, I am grateful that their wisdom and greatness allow me to reflect and be able to write Advent reflections like these. I hope to keep learning from them.
Merry Christmas,
Tinashe Manguwa ’25
