Saying Yes

I used to wonder why Christ became human when and where he did. Why not 500 years earlier in Europe or 200 years later in Central America? Then I heard a priest ask in a homily, “How many young women did God ask to be the mother of his son until one—Mary—finally said yes?”

Today we celebrate the feast of the Visitation, when, after Mary said yes to God’s request, she and her cousin Elizabeth met and celebrated the ways that God had worked in their lives. Perhaps it is a good day to consider what possibilities remain unrealized in our world because, unlike Mary, we lack the trust, self-confidence, or generosity to say “Yes” to what God asks.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Mary’s “Yes” is that she did not question whether she had the capability or worthiness or stamina to do what God asked; she trusted that God would provide what she needed to fulfill the task, even though it was enormous. What could be a greater responsibility than being the mother of God’s son?

We often back away from engaging in transformation because it feels too big and scary, but tinkering around the edges of our lives fails to satisfy, which is one reason I finally made the decision to join the Mount community. When we choose transformation, God provides the strength and the means, as the life of Mary illustrates. Thankful for her “Yes,” may we have the courage to follow her example and be a bearer of Christ’s light in the world.