She said YES! I said WOW! She said when I said what about right now. Love can’t wait! These lyrics by country western super star Brad Paisley were probably not written with the Annunciation in mind but boy, they really seem to fit. She said YES!
Most of us here have said YES at very important and profound moments in our lives. Our YES may have launched us on a certain career path or our YES may have been the beginning of a beautiful relationship with that special someone we still love. And for most of us here, our YES to God gives us meaning and purpose to our very lives.
As people of faith, can we imitate the YES in serving Christ as Mary did in today’s Gospel?
Arriving at this fourth and final week of Advent, Holy Mother Church
“Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.”
What does this mean? Why is this messenger from God saying these things to me? Mary was greatly troubled and pondered this greeting. Was Mary afraid? Was she confused? Was she disbelieving?
The angel continues: “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. And of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Does Mary understand the prophecy of Isaiah that indeed a Savior will come to this world through a Virgin? Mary is quick to point this out, is she not? “How can this be since I have no relations with a man?”
Some like to compare this question to that of Zechariah when he learned of the pregnancy of Elizabeth who was carrying John the Baptist. But we would be wise to note the difference; Zechariah doubted; Mary did not. Mary only asks how not if. To answer my earlier question, Mary was NOT disbelieving. The angel was more than happy to answer the how: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
Even if Mary realized in this special moment of particular and unique grace the difficulties and sacrifices of this announcement, she said YES! Mary proclaimed a clear and unambiguous YES: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done to me according to your word.”
This beautiful story of the Annunciation is also a lesson for all of us today. How often does God come to us, through the promptings of the Holy Spirit or through His one holy Catholic Church and ask us to say YES? Do we? Do we reflect on Mary’s YES when we are faced with giving God our answer? This is what we are called to ponder this week; this week before we celebrate anew the birth of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
How can we respond this week? How can we imitate Mary’s YES in joyful hope? In prayer, the Annunciation is best remembered in the beautiful prayer known as the Angelus. Traditionally, the Angelus is prayed every day at noon. Can we commit to pray the Angelus once a day this coming week leading up to Christmas Day? Mary’s yes was informed by her deep devoted faith and her sinless nature. You and I are sinners. This week we have an extra opportunity to experience God’s amazing love and mercy through a good and thoughtful confession. We will host the deanery-wide reconciliation service Wednesday night. As we prepare for the feast of Christmas, with Mary as our guide in saying yes, can we say yes to make a good confession this week!
And finally, after accepting the message of the angel, Mary, being told of her cousin Elizabeth
She said YES; I said WOW! We can say YES right now. Love can’t wait.
We say: YES!
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