Newly confident, Mary says yes. Notice that she does so in absolute freedom. No one coerces her. And she was free to say no. Mary also makes her decision without appealing to a man. She doesn’t ask Joseph for permission. Nor does she tell the angel that she must consult with her father. The young woman living in a patriarchal time makes a decision about the coming king. Someone with little power agrees to bring the powerful one into the world: ‘Let it be with me according to your word.’

James Martin, MA, MDiv, ThM, is an American Jesuit priest, author, and long-time editor-at-large for America magazine. In addition to writing popular books on spiritual development, he became popularly known after becoming the “official chaplain” of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, and he continues to offer his perspectives on news platforms such as CNN, NPR, and TIME magazine. He is best known for his work advocating for the acceptance of LGBTQIA persons within the Catholic community, writing his book Building a Bridge in the wake of the 2016 Orlando, Florida nightclub shooting.