Homilies & Thoughts

How often have you misplaced something important—your car keys, your phone, or even your wallet? When something essential is lost, panic sets in. We overturn couch cushions, retrace steps, and search with increasing desperation. And then, sometimes, we find the item in the most obvious place—right in front of us or even in our hand. In that moment, relief floods in, but we might also laugh at ourselves for missing what was there all along.

On this sacred day, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we must reflect deeply on the mystery of the Incarnation. I think we often misunderstand what it truly means. We might view it as a purely supernatural and miraculous event—God coming down to earth to show us the path to heaven, a call to leave the world behind and fix our eyes solely on eternity. While there is truth in that, it is not the whole truth. In fact, this understanding can distort the profound message of Christmas. The Incarnation is not simply about our journey to heaven; it is about heaven coming to us and transforming the here and now.

“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” These words from Elizabeth to Mary in today’s Gospel shine as a beacon of hope and faith. They remind us that trust in God’s promises is the foundation of true blessing, even when the path seems uncertain or fraught with difficulty.

This trust, however, is not easy. It was not easy for Mary, the Blessed Virgin. We often view the world of Jesus through the lens of his encounters with the Pharisees, Scribes, and political leaders—debates over doctrine and Scripture. Yet, this perspective can obscure the profound reality of God’s transformative action in human history.