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She Said, “Yes.”
Today, December 8th is celebrated as the feast of the Immaculate Conception.
There is a long history in the Christian Church of leaders and thinkers considering who was this young woman, the mother of Jesus. There are many questions. Who would be worthy of the task and responsibility to be the mother of Christ? St. Ambrose says she is incorrupt, a virgin immune through grace from every stain of sin. Bishop Maximus of Turin (b. 380 A.D.) called her a dwelling fit for Christ, not because of her habit of body, but because of original grace. I am not a theologian, but it certainly makes sense that this was a job for a very special woman. God has a special plan for each of us if we chose to respond to his call.
Here in the Second Week of Advent, it is important to remember what happens in the First Chapter of the Gospel of Luke. The angel appears to Mary and tells her that she is favored among all women. And, that she will conceive a son and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Oh, the weight of this decision. How would this happen? The Angel assures her that with “God, nothing shall be impossible.” The Angel had told her that she was favored by God. How would she respond? She did not know how her life would change. Mary ultimately chose to trust in God and make the journey anyway. She said the word that would change the course of history. She said, “Yes”.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Thought for this evening: What is God calling you to do? We do not know the future. However, we know God. I pray that like Mary, we may always know that he is enough and that we can trust Him and say, “Yes!”.
A perfect song about Mary’s faithful journey is “Mary Did You Know?”
+ The Anglican Anchoress