Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory. — Psalm 24 (see 7c and 10b)

Mass Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14/Luke 1:26-38 

A Pious ‘No,’ a Daring ‘Yes’ 

In today’s first reading, Ahaz refuses to accept God’s invitation to ask for a sign — and apparently for a very pious reason: “I will not tempt the Lord.” He echoes a phrase from Deuteronomy that Jesus Himself will invoke to rebuke Satan: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt 4:7; Dt 6:16). But it’s really fear, not piety, that stands behind Ahaz’s “no” — fear that any sign he asks for might come true and prove that he ought to follow Isaiah’s prophetic (but scary) advice. 

Unlike Ahaz, Mary accepts the invitation of the angel. She doesn’t know what it will mean but places her trust in God, answering with a daring “yes” — not a pious “no.” Let us also be daring in saying our “yes” to God. 

Prayer: Mary, help me say my daily “yes” to God.