The “yes” that launched a thousand vocations

Annunciation Quilt, M.O. McGrath/bromickeymcgrath.com

Before the angel Gabriel showed up on her doorstep, Mary, the mother of Jesus, likely lived an ordinary life occupied with domestic tasks and attending the temple on the Sabbath. But then came the angel’s announcement: “Hail favored one. The Lord is with you.”

At that moment, Mary was called to be at the center of God’s saving plan—to be the bearer of Good News, literally. She could have ignored the request or quietly demurred claiming an unworthiness. Instead, with awe and humility, she said yes. It is that yes, filled with to-the-marrow faith, that we may draw upon as we consider our own call to holiness. Because of Mary’s yes, each of us can be the person God wants us to be—for truly nothing is impossible with God.