Fr. Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on the Gospel for Sunday, December 21, 2025, entitled, “Jesus will be born of Mary, betrothed to Joseph, son of David.”

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To celebrate Christmas as God intended, the Church offers us, on this last Sunday of Advent, the example of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph.  The Virgin Mary was able to receive Jesus because she was prepared, and we can only receive Jesus if we are prepared like Mary.

Because the biggest trap we can fall into is experiencing Christmas in a superficial way. We can decorate our homes, put up the nativity scene, the tree, lights, have celebrations, meals, send greetings… All these things are good, but they are a sign, an external sign. And what’s important isn’t the sign, but what‘s in our hearts.

We decorate our homes because we are happy, because we want to celebrate something great: because we have the Lord in our hearts. We have God with us in the midst of our lives. And that is why we want to express and manifest all that joy and happiness in all these outward signs that represent something deep in our hearts.

How should we prepare ourselves?  First, with a genuine desire for Jesus to come; by opening ourselves to the action of the Holy Spirit and removing the obstacles in our hearts that hinder Jesus’ coming : sin, pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency, lack of humility, selfishness…

It is also important that – amidst the noise of society – we have an attitude of listening to the Word of God, letting it penetrate and act in your heart; and of docility to the Holy Spirit, letting Him guide your life.

The Word of God teaches us today that the humble are the ones who find God.  The Psalm also reminds us of this:  Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?… The one with clean hands and a pure heart… They will receive blessing from the Lord.

Mary is the humble servant of the Lord.  The little one, the simple one, open to God. Mary thus becomes a model for us at the end of Advent:  she receives God through her humility, because she accepts Him unconditionally, because she is willing to accept and fulfill His will, because she knows that He is the Lord, and she is the servant, He is the Master and she is the disciple.

Also, noteworthy is the silence of Saint Joseph, a righteous man.  What does it mean to be righteous?  Psalm 1 explains it:  Blessed is the man who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord.  His silence does not reveal an inner emptiness, but rather the fullness of faith that resides in his heart and guides his life.

Therefore, the Word of God invites you today to have a humble, simple, and contemplative heart, like Mary and Joseph, to open your heart without reservation to God who is already coming, without placing conditions on Him.  Only the humble will find God. God speaks only to those who are poor in spirit, to the humble and simple who come to Him because they feel their need for Him. Only the humble can have faith.

How is your heart? Are you ready to receive the Lord who is coming? Is your heart cleansed of all obstacles? Do you long for Jesus to dwell in your heart and fill it?  Take heart! Don’t fall into the trap that materialistic society sets for you!

Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit! Let Him prepare in you a simple and humble heart like Mary and Joseph’s, so that you may receive the Lord! You will find the peace, joy, and happiness that only the Lord can give!

Take heart!  Don’t let anyone steal Christmas from you!  For Emmanuel, “God with us,” is coming. The Lord wants to enter your heart. Open it wide! Let Him fill you!

Come, Lord Jesus!