“I say YES” – a Song for the Fourth Sunday in Advent

It’s Carol Service at church this morning. Typically the 4^th Sunday of Advent focuses specially on Mary, the “Mary of the Annunciation.” Church today will pay homage mostly to “Mary of the Nativity,” including her pondering of what happened on Christmas Day and afterward.

In this space today, I return to Mary of the Annunciation, Mary of “the good decision,” if you will. Everything Mary is, does, and becomes, arises from her singular decision to respond positively to God’s request, a request for assistance, an invitation to a role and presence as <other of our Lord, Jesus, the Infant King.

Her decision is not unlike that of the prophet, Isaiah, who centuries before “heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” (Isa 6:8). Unlike Paul (formerly, Saul), who typically followed a more extended and complicated conversion path — blinded by the light; scales falling from eyes — Mary simply says, YES. Pure and simple.

In so many ways, for God to work through us and all creation, to speak beauty, truth, and love, someone, usually us, needs to say, okay, let’s do this! “As the prayer after communion states:

Faithful God,
in this sacrament we receive the promise of salvation.
May we, like the Virgin Mary,
be obedient to your will.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the Lord.

I leave you with a song from Scotland’s Iona Community, a special offering to this day. Enjoy.

HERE’S THE TEXT

No wind at the window, no knock on the door
No light from the lamp stand, no foot on the floor
No dream born of tiredness, no ghost raised by fear
Just an angel and a woman and a voice in her ear

Oh, Mary, Oh, Mary don’t hide from my face
Be glad that you’re favored and filled with God’s grace
The time for redeeming the world has begun
And you are requested to mother God’s son

This child must be born that the Kingdom might come
Salvation for many, destruction for some
Both end and beginning, both message and sign
Both victor and victim, both yours and divine

No payment was promised, no promises made
No wedding was dated, no blue print displayed
Yet Mary, consenting to what none could guess
Replied with conviction, “tell God I say yes.“

HERE’S THE MUSIC

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcuz2Hf5OZ4&si=dcTyJNCKvEd50sq3

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