Extending our daily ‘yes’ to His holy will

Ecce ancilla domine, fiat mihi, secundum verbum tuum.

Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy word: Mary’s words to the angel Gabriel, exclaiming her “yes” to God’s will for her life. 

Through Legatus, I have personally been utilizing the Hallow app. We were blessed to host and honor the founders of Hallow at our most recent Summit in Dana Point, CA, and present them with the Bowie Kuhn Award for Evangelization for bringing prayer life to so many. The theme and call for this Lent through the “Pray 40” challenge is surrender: surrender to God’s will, to Jesus’ comforting arms. We are called to trust in God’s unfathomable love for us and His guidance for our lives. 

We are reminded that by attempting to stand on our own, to forge our way without relying on God, we are ultimately working against ourselves and Him, and the result will be chaos and unhappiness. By surrendering to God, by handing over every detail to His divine will, we will find ourselves living beyond our expectations. 

This is the story of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. 

Mary sets for us an example of what it means to say “yes.” It does not mean that every minute of every day will pass with ease and comfort. It does not mean that there will not be sorrow or trial. But it does mean that God knows what we need and will provide us with His grace to endure. As we enter into the Easter season, we must first pass through Christ’s Passion and death. Here too, Mary gave her “yes” to God, persevering by her son as He suffered and died, but trusting in God’s perfect will for it all. 

Examining our own stories, we are sure to find moments of surrender to God’s will. It is good for us to look back on our own paths and see how God writes with crooked lines — but He can only do so if we surrender ourselves and give our own fiat, every day. Having six kids and a vocation that necessitates frequent travel often gives me a lot of opportunity to die to self — I am sure all of you with young kids can empathize. Having a spouse and community who are in lockstep with this “surrender” surely helps, as does the extraordinary support of fellow Legatus members.

Surrendering to God’s will is not a one-time act. Mary’s “yes” through Gabriel was the first of many. Surrender is a continual daily commitment that takes ongoing courage, humility, and perseverance. Mary demonstrates these virtues as our model and intercessor as we work to grow closer to God — trusting in His providential plan of knowing what’s best and finding peace in collaborating with His grace. 

“O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!”