How is God Inviting You to Say 'Yes' This Christmas?

As we approach the celebration of Christmas, the Gospel reading from yesterday invites us to reflect on Joseph’s ‘yes’ to God and the Gospel from the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception led us to ponder Mary’s ‘yes.’ After Mary consented to the will of God, it was fitting for Joseph to follow suit as Her betrothed. As both of these ‘yeses’ are highlighted during the season of Advent, the Church invites us to reflect on how we are called to say yes to God and bring Him to others during the Christmas season and beyond and how we can apply Mary and Joseph’s example of humility and obedience to our own lives.

God could be asking us to say yes in an everyday aspect of our lives, or in our spiritual life, in something big, or something small. Do you feel a pull toward another job offer or promotion? Maybe you’re thinking about getting married. Do you feel like God might be calling you to go deeper into a relationship with Him in your spiritual life or to serve in a lay ministry in your church parish? All of these scenarios and life changes can be used to give greater glory to God and bring others to Him. When you’re faced with a prospect of making a change, take the time to really discern if it is God’s will and if you decide that it is, even if you’re afraid of taking the leap, do it. Imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt in the moments before giving their yes. There must have been feelings of uncertainty in both of their hearts, yet they humbled themselves and did what the Lord asked of them, trusting in Him and putting everything into His hands. They didn’t have all the answers, yet they realized that God did and that was all that was needed. Ask them for guidance and the grace to trust completely in God.

In these days before Christmas, pause and reflect on what God is asking of you and how you can give your yes to Him, just as Mary and Joseph did, and then offer your yes as a gift to the Christ Child on Christmas Day.