Today's Gospel

Just Say Yes

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where 2000 years later, we reflect on the life and teachings of Jesus and how they're trying to guide and inspire and inform our lives. Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke 1:26-38. In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hey, full of grace, the Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called Holy, the Son of God." And behold, your kin's woman, Elizabeth, in her old age, has also conceived a son.

And this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God, nothing is impossible. And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done unto me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. What is it that jumps out at you? This is a historic yes. So yeah, it's a yes that changed the course of human history. Mary's saying yes to God. And it's a yes that challenges us to give God a bigger yes. It's a yes that challenges us to reflect on the times we've said no to God. And so when you think about your life and what's happening in your life right now, in what way is God asking you to say yes? And in what ways are you resisting that or ignoring that or avoiding that? And yet you continue to call to us gently. Continue to call to us gently. Why? Because it is the best thing for us to say yes. The best thing for us to follow wherever he's leading us. And so whatever we think might be better than that, let's cast that aside and give God a wholehearted yes. Have a great day. And remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.