And Mary Said "Yes!"?

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Singinbeauty

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Hello all!

Yes, another ‘Mary’ thread… but this one is a little different I hope. I may not agree with the catholic church’s teaching on Mary but one teaching that is the same in both protestant and catholic fashions is that Mary said yes to God. Well, a thought occurred to me in the shower this morning and I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on it…

Mary didn’t actually say yes because she was never asked… God just said ‘this is what is going to happen’ not ‘would give birth to my Son?’. So what was she saying ‘yes’ to? Let me know what you think… mind you, it’s still a thought in process so bear with me but I would like you thoughts on this so far… 🙂
 
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Singinbeauty:
Hello all!

Yes, another ‘Mary’ thread… but this one is a little different I hope. I may not agree with the catholic church’s teaching on Mary but one teaching that is the same in both protestant and catholic fashions is that Mary said yes to God. Well, a thought occurred to me in the shower this morning and I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on it…

Mary didn’t actually say yes because she was never asked… God just said ‘this is what is going to happen’ not ‘would give birth to my Son?’. So what was she saying ‘yes’ to? Let me know what you think… mind you, it’s still a thought in process so bear with me but I would like you thoughts on this so far… 🙂
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she said “be it done unto me according to Thy word.” in other words, “Thy will be done”. this is what we are supposed to say when confronted with evidence of what God is allowing to happen in our lives. If we receive a dire medical diagnosis, confront a crisis at work, get a call that our child is in jail, God is not asking our permission, but asking us to trust in Him. Mary trusted completely and fully. Nowhere is it recorded that she ever received any other direct heavenly communication about anything else that happened to her or her son, but she still trusted, even to the point of witnessing the crucifixion, that God’s will would prevail.
 
The Angel did not depart until Mary said her fiat. Thus her answer was required. Notice also the words of the Angel “Hail” what does this word mean? Would it be a word that a more noble person would use on a less noble person?
There is a lot in this passage that we can see if we read it carefully. Why did not Mary receive punishment as Zachariah did when she said “How can this be, for I do not know man.” Unless, her apparent question was a statement, for undoubtedly she knew how conception occured, and knowing she was betrothed to Joseph, it would have not been a great request if she had planned on having relations with Joseph. But, if she had taken a vow of virginity then her question, and the Angels answer make sense.
 
Presuming that Mary has a free will, she could have objected to the angel’s words. She may not have literally spoken the word “yes,” but she could have said no. She could have replied, I don’t want the power of the Holy Spirit to impregnate me, I don’t want any children, I don’t want the responsibility of raising a holy child. Or, she could even have been rebellious and said… If a child is forced on me, (against my will) I will exercise my “freedom of choice” and abort the child or abandon it should it be born.

Mary fully understood the difficulties the will of God would inflict on her; bearing a child at so early an age, the scorn of people criticizing her of violating her virginal vows, bearing a child that is not that of her husband’s seed, etc.

When Mary said “Let it be done unto me according to thy word,” she indeed said yes, in more ways than one.

Thal59
 
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Singinbeauty:
Hello all!

Yes, another ‘Mary’ thread… but this one is a little different I hope. I may not agree with the catholic church’s teaching on Mary but one teaching that is the same in both protestant and catholic fashions is that Mary said yes to God. Well, a thought occurred to me in the shower this morning and I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on it…

Mary didn’t actually say yes because she was never asked… God just said ‘this is what is going to happen’ not ‘would give birth to my Son?’. So what was she saying ‘yes’ to? Let me know what you think… mind you, it’s still a thought in process so bear with me but I would like you thoughts on this so far… 🙂
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Ah, the deep thoughts that come from a good shower. 😃
 
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Singinbeauty:
Hello all!

Yes, another ‘Mary’ thread… but this one is a little different I hope. I may not agree with the catholic church’s teaching on Mary but one teaching that is the same in both protestant and catholic fashions is that Mary said yes to God. Well, a thought occurred to me in the shower this morning and I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on it…

Mary didn’t actually say yes because she was never asked… God just said ‘this is what is going to happen’ not ‘would give birth to my Son?’. So what was she saying ‘yes’ to? Let me know what you think… mind you, it’s still a thought in process so bear with me but I would like you thoughts on this so far… 🙂
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Singinbeauty,
I think we must have been pondering the same thing this morning! 😉 Read my post on the other Mary thread (originally posted by my dear husband IanS). I think my post is #84.
Tamara
 
So many centuries after the fact it is easy for us to take for granted Mary’s response to such a fantastic proposal.

Think about it. An archangel in all his glory suddenly appears to a peasant girl of about 13-17 years old. What would most young women that age do? I imagine they’d throw their apron over their heads and run for their lives or scream or drop down in a dead faint. Zachariah certainly was terrified and he was a temple priest!

Mary reacted like a queen, and a gracious queen at that! She controls her fear and answers intelligently. This is the reaction of someone who has a profound prayer life and a heart and mind completely open to God. Can anyone actually think Mary was an afterthought? Someone that God just picked out of the crowd?

Mary’s distant ancestor, Eve, was a great lady, too. But, she let her own desires rule her decision. She closed her heart and mind to God’s clear directive, and she had been created by the hand of God himself. But Mary, many centuries later, living in a humble home of poor parents, who had no prospects above her station in life says, “Be it done unto me according to your word” with all the dignity and aplomb of the princess of Judah that she really was. One who was long experienced in listening to the voice of God and unafraid to face the future he had laid out for her since the dawn of time.
 
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Della:
So many centuries after the fact it is easy for us to take for granted Mary’s response to such a fantastic proposal.

Think about it. An archangel in all his glory suddenly appears to a peasant girl of about 13-17 years old. What would most young women that age do? I imagine they’d throw their apron over their heads and run for their lives or scream or drop down in a dead faint. Zachariah certainly was terrified and he was a temple priest!

Mary reacted like a queen, and a gracious queen at that! She controls her fear and answers intelligently. This is the reaction of someone who has a profound prayer life and a heart and mind completely open to God. Can anyone actually think Mary was an afterthought? Someone that God just picked out of the crowd?

Mary’s distant ancestor, Eve, was a great lady, too. But, she let her own desires rule her decision. She closed her heart and mind to God’s clear directive, and she had been created by the hand of God himself. But Mary, many centuries later, living in a humble home of poor parents, who had no prospects above her station in life says, “Be it done unto me according to your word” with all the dignity and aplomb of the princess of Judah that she really was. One who was long experienced in listening to the voice of God and unafraid to face the future he had laid out for her since the dawn of time.
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👍

When the Virgin was presented with God’s plan through the message of Gabriel, she did not ask to see all his “bona fides”, or ask for all the cogent arguments he could muster in order for her to agree to what was being proposed: “Gabriel, please consider my position. Why should I do this? What will be the outcome? I think that time will make it patently clear as to why I’m the last person to ask this of; I’m unmarried and will probably be stoned. How can God possibly become Man? The conditions of the age are just not right for this to happen. What are all the salvific implications here? What’s in it for me? Will I be rejected from a leadership role?”

Her “Fiat” was an act of the will in the midst of her astonishment. She had no understanding of the full portent of the message, yet her free act set in motion our salvation.
 
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Singinbeauty:
Hello all!

Yes, another ‘Mary’ thread… but this one is a little different I hope. I may not agree with the catholic church’s teaching on Mary but one teaching that is the same in both protestant and catholic fashions is that Mary said yes to God. Well, a thought occurred to me in the shower this morning and I wanted to get everyone’s opinions on it…

Mary didn’t actually say yes because she was never asked…
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Actually, yes she did. They weren’t speaking modern English. She said ‘yes’ when she said “be it done unto me acording to your word.”

It’s like when Mary asked Jesus to make more wine for the wedding. The language is subtle. She said “They Have no wine.” not “Can you make some wine?”. But she was asking just the same. She told the servants, do whatever He tells you.

Do you see, then, how the ancient conversation is more subtle and delicate than English.
 
Here’s something to think about—

If Mother Mary is the new Eve…her YES must have a corresponding NO of Eve. The question is, what was Eve saying NO to?

There’s speculative theology regarding the original sin…it attempts to answer the question above.

in XT.
 
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Della:
So many centuries after the fact it is easy for us to take for granted Mary’s response to such a fantastic proposal.

Think about it. An archangel in all his glory suddenly appears to a peasant girl of about 13-17 years old. What would most young women that age do? I imagine they’d throw their apron over their heads and run for their lives or scream or drop down in a dead faint. Zachariah certainly was terrified and he was a temple priest!

Mary reacted like a queen, and a gracious queen at that! She controls her fear and answers intelligently. This is the reaction of someone who has a profound prayer life and a heart and mind completely open to God. Can anyone actually think Mary was an afterthought? Someone that God just picked out of the crowd?

Mary’s distant ancestor, Eve, was a great lady, too. But, she let her own desires rule her decision. She closed her heart and mind to God’s clear directive, and she had been created by the hand of God himself. But Mary, many centuries later, living in a humble home of poor parents, who had no prospects above her station in life says, “Be it done unto me according to your word” with all the dignity and aplomb of the princess of Judah that she really was. One who was long experienced in listening to the voice of God and unafraid to face the future he had laid out for her since the dawn of time.
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Mary was of the royal house of David, even if a minor branch. According to Tradition, Mary was educated in the Temple. Since one of the effects of sin is to dull the intellect, I imagine Mary must have been the most intelligent person in the world.

All Israel was anticipating the imminent birth of the long-awaited Messiah. They also had a firmer belief in angels as God’s messengers than many people today. She may have got a shock at the first appearance of Gabriel, but I bet she was quick to recover.
 
Eve said no to obedience and to trusting in God. I’ve always thought that Eve’s first sin, of taking the forbidden fruit, as an inevitable by-product of free-will. The real sin comes when Adam and Eve hide themselves in shame from the Lord, their beloved creator.
 
If you don’t understand Mary, just read Scott Hahn’s book about her. 👍
 
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