(Photo taken at the Church of the Visitation, Ein Kerem, Israel.)

As we journey this last week toward Christmas, we celebrate the young girl Mary, who without respect to personal cost, said “yes” to the invitation to become the mother of Jesus.  “Let it be with me according to your word (Luke 1:38).”

This “yes” is a good thing.  We are enthralled by the might and power of this event.  If we are blessed enough to sense our own deep hunger that is the voice of God calling us, we can be drawn into a lifetime of asking the question: “To what is God calling me?”  We open ourselves to the grace of the Holy Spirit and pray for the courage to say “yes.”

But what about “no?”  Or, more specifically, what my spiritual director calls The Holy No?  I am not speaking about saying “no” to God but…