I Say Yes

Louisa Ikena reflects on responding to God’s call and following God’s will, both in the good times and in the difficult times. 

There’s a song by Donna Pena called “I Say Yes, My Lord.” The words really speak to me.  

Fiat. Let it be done. Let it be so. I say yes. 

Let It Be 

When God created light, the Book of Genesis tells us that God spoke, “Fiat luxit” – Let there be light (Genesis 1: 3). I’ve also be taught that God simply spoke, “Light!” and it was created. Naming it was part of the creation process. I do not need to know the exact language or the exact phraseology of God in this first moment of creation to embrace the truth that God spoke and the world was made. I like the idea of God simply speaking “Light!” and “Sky!” and they came to be. The fiat is implied yet still so powerful. 

In a specific time and place, Mary spoke her fiat. Our Lady’s “let it be” was spoken in conversation with an angel at the Annunciation. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). That was Mary’s fiat. With everything inside of her, she said yes to God. 

Speaking Our Own Fiat 

All of us members of Holy Mother Church are asked to speak our own fiat in our own lives. No one on this earth can love exactly like me or exactly like you. We each respond to the invitation of our Lord in the form of our universal call to holiness.  

I say Yes, my Lord, even when so many people around me seem to be saying “no thanks” to You and Your divine will. Even when I am tired and weary ad discouraged and alone, help me say yes, Lord. Even when the world tells me flat out that I’m wasting my time, my talent, and my treasure, help me say yes, Lord.  

I am reminded of so many people who have gone before me marked with the sign of faith. Help me square my shoulders, look the world in the eye, stand free, and say yes to You.  

In the small, day-to-day tasks, I say yes. In the big discernment decisions, I say yes. And in every moment in between, I say yes, my Lord. 

My fiat to our Lord Jesus resonates in my soul this day. I first remember saying yes to God in song as a child, singing music that was so joyful to sing. Growing up witnessing others in my life saying yes to God was deeply inspiring. One of the most vivid moments of this inspiration occurred when I learned about Saint Teresa of Calcutta, known as Mother Teresa.  

The poorest of the poor can stand out with their physical needs. But the needs around us can also manifest in emotional needs and spiritual needs. I cannot offer and give away what I do not have yet. Therefore, attending to the poor and abandoned parts of me prepares me for ministry to others going through similar things. Even in the midst of a mess that I tend to find myself in, I say yes, my Lord.  

What is your fiat, your yes to God, just for today?   

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Copyright 2025 Louisa Ann Irene Ikena
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