Christ the Cornerstone

Mary’s ‘yes’ changes the course of history—and our lives

Tomorrow, Saturday, March 25, is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, a day of rejoicing that interrupts the penitential season of Lent to celebrate the announcement of God’s saving action through Mary, and her willing acceptance of God’s plan for her. “Hail, Mary, full of grace,” we pray, echoing the greeting of the archangel Gabriel. “The Lord is with you, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”

The Gospel reading for this solemn feast is the familiar story told by St. Luke of Mary’s “fiat,” her acceptance of God’s Word, which changed the course of human history. Because Mary, a humble young woman in an obscure little town far removed from the seats of power and influence, said “yes” to God’s mysterious and frightening invitation, the redemptive power of divine love was unleashed in the world, and God himself became a man.

Mary’s “yes” was not an impulsive reaction. She had prepared for this moment her whole life and, in fact, the Jews, the chosen people of God, had been preparing for this moment throughout their entire history.

Mary’s humility, her prayerfulness and her eagerness to do whatever the Lord commanded were the results of her total immersion into the spirituality of Judaism. In Mary, the daughter of Zion, the hopes and dreams of the people of Israel were fulfilled. Her openness to the mystery of God’s love incarnate made it possible for her son, Jesus, to redeem all humanity.

The first reading for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord (Is 7:10-14; 8:10) contains the strange, apparently contradictory prophecy: The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us!”

(Is 7:14) Mary, a virgin, conceives a son by the power of the Holy Spirit and, as a result, God literally becomes one with us. In him, the enigmatic prophecy is fulfilled—not just symbolically but literally. God is with us as a human being, and his self-sacrificing love is the redemptive power that saves us from the destructive effects of sin and death.

The second reading for the Annunciation (Heb 10:4-10) discloses the only form of sacrificial offering that is acceptable to God:

Brothers and sisters: It is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, ‘As is written of me in the scroll, behold, I come to do your will, O God’ ” (Heb 10:4-7).

Willingness to do God’s will is what is required of us if we wish to repent of our sins and become one with the God, who made us for union with himself and with all our sisters and brothers. Mary’s “fiat” is the model for all of us because it anticipates her Son’s words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).

What we will celebrate tomorrow is God’s generous, self-sacrificing love, which became God incarnate the moment Mary said, “yes.” Our Catholic faith teaches us that God gives us a free choice. We can say “yes” like Mary, or we can say “no.” God will not force us to do what he knows is in our own best interests. He gives us the freedom to follow our own path, come what may.

Lent is the liturgical season that tries to help us discern the right path and to make choices that are good for us, in conformity with God’s will. The disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are all designed to help us prepare for those moments when we will have to make life-changing decisions. How will we respond? Will we say, “Yes, be it done to me according to your word?” Or “not my will but yours be done”? Or will we stubbornly insist on doing things “my way”?

The holy season of Lent gives us many opportunities to practice the kind of self-sacrificing love that authentic Christian discipleship demands. Let’s take advantage of this penitential time to sharpen our ability to say “no” to those things that lead us away from God’s will for us.

Remember that St. Luke’s Gospel tells us that Mary was “greatly troubled” when she first heard the words spoken by God’s messenger. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God” (Lk 1:30), the angel assures her. Let’s take these words of consolation to heart.

Mary’s “yes” has paved the way for us. Her generous acceptance of God’s will gives us confidence and hope. †