“And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”

Christians around the world celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation yesterday, that is, March 25th. This is the occasion when we commemorate the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she was to give birth to the Messiah. While the announcement is certainly good news for all of us who are beneficiaries of God’s grace in Christ, I am not so sure it would have been received as such by Mary herself. 

Most probably, Mary was a young teenager when she received the news from Gabriel. She was poor, unmarried, already engaged. These are all very good reasons why Mary was quite likely perplexed and frightened by the annunciation. Having a child at that particular moment in her life would have had many life-altering ramifications, almost all of them negative. And yet, despite her misgivings, Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

Holy Scripture does not indicate whether Mary really had a choice or not, but typically, God does not impose God’s will on anyone. So, I believe that Mary could have said “No, thanks.”  But she doesn’t.  Mary says “yes,” and because Mary says “yes,” all of history and all of life was changed forever.

For whatever reason, God chooses to partner with human beings to bring about God’s mission of life and love to the world. Mary is a rather obvious and exceptional example, but the Bible and human history is filled with other examples of God working in just the same manner. I think that it has something to do with love. God’s dream is that every single creature on the face of the earth might be swept up in God’s vision and mission of love. God’s offer to all is to become active participants in the work of reconciliation and restoration. But for this to happen, for God’s Kingdom to come to earth as it is in heaven, for us to actually experience the coming of that Kingdom into our own little lives… we must say “yes”. Just like Mary, we have a choice to participate or not.

I wonder how many times each day an angel comes into our lives announcing frightening but potentially history-changing and life-altering news. I wonder how many times each day we are given the opportunity to say “yes” to God’s invitation to participate in the work of the Kingdom. I wonder how many times, after hearing the announcement, we sadly but politely decline the offer. 

I will, however, tell you this, my friends…

          I’m going to be on the lookout for Gabriel or one of his friends. 

                    And when the angel issues the invitation to join God on the Way of Love;

                              And when the angel whispers his advice into my soul to “just say yes;”

                                        I’m going to do it!

Next time, like Mary, I’m going to respond, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”  I hope you do too. 

~Father Art