The Frozen Plant

“Warm greetings to you. We are in Day 13 of Advent,
and welcome to Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic —
where simple moments of daily life
prepare our hearts for the gentle coming of Christ.”

“Today’s story begins in a winter garden…
with a plant that looked completely lifeless.”

“After a night of heavy frost,
a gardener walked into his backyard
and saw one of his small potted plants
frozen stiff.
Its leaves drooped,
its color had faded,
and for a moment it looked
as though all life had slipped out of it.
He bent down, touched its cold surface,
and whispered,
‘Poor thing… the frost was too harsh.’
His neighbor, passing by, smiled and said,
‘Just wait for the sun.’
Hours later,
as the sunlight slowly warmed the earth,
a tiny bit of color returned to the plant.
By late afternoon,
its leaves lifted gently —
not all at once,
but slowly…
delicately…
as if hope itself were stretching
after a long, cold night.”

“There are seasons of life
where the soul feels frozen.
A disappointment that chills the heart…
a word that wounds…
a prayer that seems unanswered…
a chapter of waiting that feels too long.
You look at yourself and think,
‘I should be stronger by now…
I should have more faith…
I should be doing better than this.’
But Advent whispers a different truth:
Even the healthiest hearts
experience winter.
Even the strongest disciples
face days when their inner life feels numb.
But frost is not final.
The Sun of Justice — Christ Himself —
comes gently,
not with fire that scorches,
but with warmth that restores.
Your soul may feel cold today,
but God is already working
beneath the surface —
quietly thawing,
softening,
reviving what you thought was gone.
Healing is slow,
but it is sure.”

“So today, pause and ask yourself:
‘Which part of my heart feels frozen?’
Hold that place gently before God.
Let Him warm it with His quiet presence.
And whisper this simple Advent prayer:
‘Lord, thaw what is cold in me…
and bring my heart back to life.’
This is Tiny Advent Parables with Fr. Dominic.
May God’s warmth gently reach you today.”