Advent is short this year. This fourth Sunday of Advent is also the last day of the season. The gospel today is the Annunciation, Mary’s yes. Tomorrow, and really this evening, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This one-day liturgical turnaround is in sharp contrast to how it really must have happened. With the average human gestation process lasting about 280 days, Mary’s “yes” had the time to develop, to take on flesh and bone, to come into motion, to grow strong, to shine forth for the world to see.
On the eve of this solemnity, perhaps we can reflect on all that we have said yes to and all that we will say yes to. May her intercession be with us when our “yes” feels fragile and weak, when what we have said “yes” to is taken away, when the “yes” another has pronounced to us becomes a “no.” She is the one who heard from Gabriel, “forever” and “nothing will be impossible for God.” Let us turn to her, and with her, say “Yes” to the Lord, trusting the process. His light will shine forth for the world to see.