Homily, Christmas 2025
From The Pastor
On many levels, Christmas defines expectation, hope, and joy. Who doesn’t remember the childhood excitement of Santa coming, the expectation of hoped for presents, and the joy of the Christmas spirit. Children today still experience this same anticipation of what Santa might bring in the hopes of the best toy ever. Parents anxiously plan and shop to find the most hoped for and expected gift for each child. Meals are planned and prepared in the hope that each will experience the joy of all that Christmas promises in the bonds of love revealed in the Infant Child Jesus.
The fourth Sunday of Advent is the perfect image of hope, expectation, and joy in anticipation of Christmas. Both Mary and Elizabeth are an image of hope, lively expectation, and spirit-filled joy. What makes for a good visitation? Readiness, openness, and reception. As Mary and Elizabeth prepare to receive each other, the world waits in joyful hope to receive its Savior.
Mary and Elizabeth needed each other. Both were in the grip of a mystery that needed understanding and confirmation. Young Mary, fresh in the conception of Jesus in her womb, longed for the faith-filled companionship of her older cousin. Elizabeth is also in the late surprise of a longed-for, yet unexpected pregnancy. Each has a ready openness to receive the other to share and break open the mystery. Each reserved an inner space to accept the story and experience of the other.
The mystery is confirmed in the womb of Elizabeth as John, moved by the Spirit, leaps for joy in the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary. The same Spirit confirms for Mary the message of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb. How does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Each woman prepared a space in their heart to receive the work of God in the other. Each is a gift to the other. Mary is greatly relieved, inspired, and in reverent awe at the words of her God revering cousin. “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”
This is a perfect stage to prepare us to celebrate the visitation of Jesus born to us on Christmas. On Christmas, heaven comes to earth in the most personal way possible in the birth of Christ our Savior. The coming of Jesus mirrors the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. Now it is us who must prepare a space of readiness within ourselves to receive the gift and new life given to us in the Infant Child. Will our hearts be prepared and open to realize the mystery and power in the coming of our Savior? The coming of Jesus is a visitation and so much more. Jesus is here to stay, to be one with us that we may learn to be one with him.
Jesus is our greatest hope because he is our greatest need as we search to find meaning, direction, and purpose in our lives. The hope Jesus brings is the power of love that reflects our essential need for acceptance, healing, and forgiveness that promises redemption. This is not just forgiveness because I scratched your car last week, gossiped against your good name, or a debt I refused to pay. The visitation of Jesus is eternal, and the forgiveness offered is redemptive, inclusive, and complete that our longing for God and God’s longing for us be satisfied.
The birth of Christ is the birth of hope that raises our lives to the dignity of God himself. What is it that human beings most long for? Humans thrive on acceptance, love, and belonging. All of which, at some point, will depend on necessary forgiveness. The deepest longing of God is oneness with us. God wants us to want to love, accept, and joyfully embrace our belonging to God. The love we long for in union with God can only exist through the coming of Christ as one like us in all things but sin.
This is the hope, the expectation, and the joy Christmas promises. Notice the relationship of the crib to the Cross. True love is innocent, vulnerable, and self-giving. Our hope for freedom from sin and death is realized in the willing surrender of Jesus on the Cross. In his death, we are reborn.
Joy is the fruit of hope satisfied. Both Mary and Elizabeth were filled with joy as they greeted one another. As Mary returned to Bethlehem and Elizabeth rejoiced in the birth of John, each carried the promise of joyful hope in the coming Savior. Both lives were changed; vulnerable, surrendered, and freely given for God’s purpose. Our lives should be the same.
How is your heart and manner of life ready to receive Jesus to be reborn in you at Christmas? How will you accept his Visitation? Think of this when you feel love for your spouse, children, and friends as they open your gifts, and you share a meal together. Could you be a visitation of Jesus to each of them? With love we can all be a face of Jesus to each other. A blessed and Merry Christmas to all.
Father John Esper
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