The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
These days when I read this Gospel from Luke, I smile wistfully to myself. I’m reminded that seven years ago around this time, the Lord was drawing me constantly towards a guy in my church group.
“I am with you!” God said to me, as He tells Mary through the angel Gabriel in today’s Gospel. “Do not be afraid–this is the man I have for you.”
Like Mary, my question was: “How can this be?”
I remember sitting down with my journal and writing out what I knew about this person. I was attempting to prove to God that He had to be mistaken! Bolstering my point, I could only come up with six things offhand that I knew about him, half of which were just facts one could ascertain from a quick review of his social media profile. Like Mary, I was greatly troubled. After years of prayer for my future spouse, God was approaching me with “the one” and still I had my doubts. Mary expected her marriage to start very differently. I expected several dates and a declaration of love before God’s great reveal.
Our awesome God always defies expectations, however. For Him, the chaos of things happening seemingly “out of order” paled in comparison to the joys, sorrows, and wonders that He knew were to come for Mary and I. We couldn’t know that when He approached us with His glad tidings. We had to trust Him when He said we needn’t fear. We had to believe that He would be with us through all that He promised. And then we had to say, “yes.” Sight unseen, yet seeing through the eyes of faith.
Mary went on to live a most extraordinary life as the Mother of Christ. I went on a first date with my guy, and now…we’ll be married next spring.
When He comes to you, don’t ignore the burning in your heart. Listen earnestly, breathe deeply, and respond with a resounding “yes.” What comes next will not always be easy, but it will be all that it was meant to be, in His name.
Perpetua Charles works as a book publicist in Boston, Massachusetts. She loves the Lord, TV, Disney princesses, books, 90s-00s teen pop, and the color pink. Say hi on Instagram!