Choosing to Say Yes

It's the 4th Sunday of Advent, and I've been watching and waiting and preparing for a month. Finally, I can begin to celebrate Christmas! Part of my preparation for Christmas this year has been participation in an online Advent workshop called "Birthing the Holy." During Week 1 we were challenged to 'Awaken' fully to Advent and consider what it means to be truly awake to God in our lives. Week 2 we began 'The Journey' to the holy. Last week we considered the 'Darkness' in our lives and how moving into darkness prepares us for moving into the light. This week the theme is 'Saying Yes.' How important it is to say yes to God when He opens a door for us or asks something of us! Even if He asks us to do something scary or opens a door into the unknown, the answer must be yes. Think of it... if Mary had not chosen to say yes to God, would we even be celebrating this wondrous season? Oh sure, God could probably have found another virgin teenager about to be married to an older man she hardly knew who was willing to be pregnant out of wedlock and carry His child. And then watch that precious child be mocked, humiliated and crucified by people who once adored him. But God didn't ask that other teenage girl. He asked Mary and she chose to say Yes! Inspite of the humilation, the fear of rejection, and the pain, she said yes to God. And the rest, as they say, is history...Biblical history, at least. If Mary was courageous enough to make this choice, can I do any lesswhen God asks?  Choose to say yes. If you need a bit of encouragement, here's a 'Prayer for Choosing' by Jan Richardson:
A Prayer for Choosing

What we choose
changes us.

Who we love
transforms us.

How we create
remakes us.

Where we live
reshapes us.

So in all our choosing,
O God, make us wise;

in all our loving,
O Christ, make us bold;

in all our creating,
O Spirit, give us courage;

in all our living
may we become whole
 
You might enjoy her blogs: The Advent Door and The Painted Prayerbook
 
I took the photo of the Virgin in the Abbey Church at Conques last September.