As I was driving along in my convertible with the top down on an unseasonably warm March afternoon, I was blissfully musing about how when days become noticeably longer – when daffodils and crocuses begin to bloom, and the tips of tree branches start to bud – I feel the rejuvenation of springtime. Then it suddenly it hit me, or should I say, I hit it.
The wind was nearly knocked out of me, my heart pounded in my chest, and I let out a loud yelp from what sounded like my car breaking apart. When I realized that me and my car were still in one piece, I glanced back through the rearview mirror and saw the culprit: New Jersey drivers’ most dastardly nemesis – the pothole.
This year’s pothole season, which is worse than previous years due to colder temperatures and more snow, is wreaking havoc on New Jersey’s roadways. According to a recent article on NJ.com, New Jersey is eighth in the country for the highest number of potholes. Additionally, the article states that since July 2025, more than 102,500 potholes have been filled across the state; the N.J. Department of Transportation has spent an average of nearly $1.9 million each year over the past five years to fix these calamitous craters.
So, we drivers have a choice to make. We can either sulk at the idea of side street slalom or confidently learn strategies to deal with the frustrating fissures that pop up in the roadways of our lives, because the reality is that we will never have a perfectly smooth road. Pope Francis said, “Life is a journey that often has potholes, but we keep moving forward.”
As Christians, we are all on the road toward God, but that road is all too often peppered with the potholes of temptations, doubts and discouragements; in other words, life’s challenges. Even though we sometimes see these potholes right in front of us, we find ourselves driving right into them, shaking us on our journey.
Knowing that we can never rid ourselves of potholes, we can learn how to better approach them, or, even better, recognize how they can be spiritually beneficial to us. Potholes can force us to slow down, to pay more attention and examine the road ahead. Obstacles in our lives can be moments that deepen our faith: Compassion can be built through suffering; humility can be increased through struggles; mercy can be shown through hurt; forgiveness can be forged through being wronged, and repentance can come from failures.
However, through neglecting our prayer life, committing habitual sin and slipping into spiritual laziness, the effects of those potholes worsen. That’s why we need to anchor ourselves in God’s constant presence, trust in His will and know that Jesus is riding right along with us.
Fortunately, we have the Church to guide, strengthen and fortify us as we navigate our pocked highways by the graces we receive from the Holy Mass, from frequent reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, from the Word of God being revealed to us, and from teaching us the importance of prayer.
About a week after my encounter with the pothole, I was driving along the same route, this time with my wife. As we chatted about something I can’t quite remember (I’m sure she could tell you) – KA-BAM! I had hit the pothole again.
“How could you not see that?” my wife exclaimed. “It was right in front of you.”
How could I not see it? Because trials in life are unavoidable, and spiritual struggle is real. That’s why regular spiritual maintenance is essential to keep our human machine driven by our soul rolling down the road.
Deacon Dean Johnson serves at Church of the Holy Family, Sewell.
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