“A ‘yes’ that changed history, and the world”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Monday, April 8, 2024
Luke 1:26-38 (Forward, p. 70) CEV p. 1055
I have often wondered ‘what possessed’ Mary to say ‘yes’ to God’s most audacious and life-altering proposition. Sources suggest that she was probably quite young, possibly in her early teens, but I’m thinking that she could well understand the consequences of what she was agreeing to.
She was betrothed to Joseph but not yet married. Even so, a betrothal was considered binding, and a divorce was necessary to ‘get out of it.’ And, given that it was so binding, any sexual activity outside of it was seen as adulterous, and potentially punishable by death. (Just see John 8:4-5 for a contemporary illustration of this). And seeing as the idea that God the Holy Spirit was the ‘father’, just wouldn’t ‘wash’, who was to believe that she had not been unfaithful. And so, that most assuredly was in Mary’s mind as she mulled over how to respond to the archangel’s words.
Most surely, then, there was also Joseph’s response to consider. Would he, against all normal human reasoning, even consider that no human male had been involved? Most surely, that possibility was absolutely unheard of and biologically impossible. And, Mary, in pondering how he might react, had no advance warning that an angel might actually come to him and persuade him that she was telling the truth. No, the likelihood was that he would decide to disown her and file for a divorce.
And then what? A divorced, single woman with child—in that very traditional and high-bound society: what would be her future, even if she was not stoned? Everyone would know, or at least, know their version of the story, and most surely, she’d be shunned and shamed and ‘spoken’ about, gossiped about. What would life be like for her and her child in such a setting?
And even if Joseph ‘sucked it up’, as he did, what would life be like? Their dreamt of, hoped for, settled, predictable life would be overturned. What would a life of raising a future Messiah be like? She couldn’t have even a clue, which was probably just as good, given how things would turn out.
Doubtless all these kinds of thoughts came tumbling through her mind in those few minutes she had before making her decision. Sure, she had some questions of her own for the archangel, some questions concerning the ‘mechanics’, how this was supposed to happen. But then, she simply left all of it squarely in God’s hands. “Let it be unto me, even as you will.” It was a ‘yes’ that changed history—and the world.
My prayer is that we, you and I, each of us, can also say ‘yes’ to God, yes to whatever He wants to do in our lives and to do with us. Who knows, maybe our ‘yes’ can also have an incredible impact. Indeed, I believe that this is so, even though we might never become aware of it. Thanks be to God.
Forward notes: “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus” (verses 30-31).
Commemoration: The Annunciation
“Today we celebrate the Annunciation, the announcement of the incarnation when Mary, a virgin, is visited by the angel Gabriel and learns she will conceive and bear a son to be named Jesus. Mary responds by singing a song known as the Magnificat. She has other glorious moments during her pregnancy and beyond, including Jesus’s birth and experiences during his ministry. But Mary also confronts unspeakable political and cultural challenges, culminating in the violent crucifixion of her son.
“Whatever the circumstances she encounters, Mary demonstrates to her world and to us and unwavering faith in God and an openness to God’s grace. Even in the Book of Acts, we find Mary involved with the early Christian community. The Annunciation makes possible our own experience of the incarnation and our awareness of Christ within. In the collect for this day of Annunciation, we pray that God would pour grace into our hearts. May it be so.”
Moving Forward: “What do you learn from the story of Mary?”