The desire to say yes and the ability to say yes are two different things. Since God is so close to us, so deeply ingrained in the depths of our souls, we all have a natural desire to please God and to say, “Thy will be done”. However, often we are held back from actually saying Yes to God. What holds us back is often related to fear, shame, addictions, pride, or ignorance. 

There are plenty of examples in scripture that show people being held back from saying yes to God’s will. Zechariah’s doubt in the presence of the angel Gabriel. Peter’s fear of the crowds by the fire as the cock crows. The rich man who clung to his worldly possessions and went away sad. The disciple’s false notion of a militant messiah and their prideful attempts at power. 

Mary’s yes to the divine dance exemplifies what it is like to be free to say yes to God’s will. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want, freedom is the ability to choose the good, or in religious terms, it’s the ability to fulfill God’s will. Advent should be a time of addressing these aspects of our life that keeps us from choosing the good, that keeps us from saying yes. 

Lastly, we must keep in mind that God cares more about the carrying-out of the yes than the saying of yes. Consider the parable of the two sons (Matthew 21:28-32). One son tells his father that he will not work, but then does go out to the vineyard. The other son says he will work, but then doesn’t go out to the vineyard. Mary’s yes is powerful in the face of the angel Gabriel, but the true beauty comes from the virtuous life of preparation before the annunciation and then the virtuous work afterwards of raising the child, Christ.