The Annunciation: Saying “Yes” to God

Last updated on: March 26, 2018 at 9:05 am by John Mark N. Reynolds

The Annunciation: Saying “Yes” to God 2018-03-26T09:05:57-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mary said “yes” to God. A woman’s consent was the pivot point of history.

We are about to enter Holy Week, the time when the Church remembers Jesus’ last teachings, suffering, and victory over death. God was coming to heal the wounds between Heaven and Earth. He would not just judge us or forgive us from a distance, but come and be with us. He would feel what we felt and that included being born fully human.

What if she had said “no?”

We will never know, because she did not. A timeless God sees each moment of cosmic history simultaneously, so Eve said “no” just as Mary said “yes” from the Divine perspective. Each decision was honored: one chose immediate pleasure that led to death, the other a sword that would pierce her heart that led to life. The best news of all is that Mary’s “yes” allowed her mother Eve to choose life a second time when their Son harrowed the place of the dead.

Mary freely said “yes” to God, heard the Word of God, and did not just obey, but rejoiced in her God. Her consent made her the Mother of God and she was happy. Of course she knew the pain, Mary did know, because consent carries knowledge, but unlike Mother Eve, she chose wisely. Eve faced a tree and chose to learn good and evil by doing wrong. Mary was different. She chose present pain for eternal joy. Mary stood before a Tree and gained the knowledge of good and evil when she heard her Divine Son choose good in the face of the ruling class evil. Everyone gets to choose and live with the consequences of that choice. We must give free choice to others, a truth I wish with all my soul I had understood sooner.

Saying “yes” is not enough. Mary heard the world of the Lord and persisted. Her great song of triumph, the joy of bearing the Son of God, is a challenge to the powerful, rich, and famous. This Jewish woman said “yes” and then:

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.

Mary knew what her “yes” meant: an upending of the broken order. Eve bet on what was pleasant today, courting the world, the flesh, and the devil. Mary chose God always for justice. Yet even this great insight, the core of the Gospel, the knowledge that made true consent possible was just the start of her work.

She kept hearing the word of God and saying “yes.”

Mary brought her baby to term, raised him, perhaps doing so as a widow, and then launched Him into ministry at the Wedding of Cana. Like John the Baptist, she decreased as He increased, recognizing that all who said “yes” to the Divine Son of God were his mothers, brothers, and sisters. Most did not persist as she did. Mother Mary stood at the cross when most of the disciples ran, denied, and betrayed their friend. Mary was in the Upper Room at Pentecost and when the tongues of fire fell, she was there.

All generations call her happy, blessed.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

March 24, 2018

You’ve Been Left Behind: Remembering the Larry Norman Song

Next Post

March 26, 2018 Trickster Education: An Initial Reaction to an Important Book

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which parable tells of a traveler who fell among thieves?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Pearl of Great Price The Good Samaritan The Rich Fool The Lost Coin

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »