# Who Are the Two Witnesses? Saying Yes to God
*2022-12-20*

> Bill and John explore the symbolism of the two witnesses in Revelation, connect it to Mary’s “yes” in Luke, and reflect on how we are called to say “yes” to God during Advent.

## Opening Reflections

We begin Advent with the theme “Saying Yes to God.” I recalled a Bible my aunt’s sister, Sister Mary Teresa, gave me years ago. Inside was a holy card marking the Gospel where Mary says “yes” (Luke 1:26‑38). The coincidence of finding that Bible on a Saturday, the day before the Gospel reading, felt like a sign to keep saying yes to God.

## Reading Revelation 11: The Two Witnesses

John read Revelation 11, which describes the two witnesses who prophesy for 1,260 days, are given power over the elements, are killed, lie in the street of the great city, and are raised after three and a half days. Their period of testimony matches the 1,260 days the woman in Revelation 12 spends in hiding. This parallel intrigued us and raised the question: who are these two witnesses?

## Who Might the Witnesses Be?

We considered several possibilities. Could the witnesses be individual Catholics, a pair of believers, or perhaps the Church itself? We noted that Scripture sends us out “two by two,” suggesting that the witnesses could be any two faithful disciples commissioned by God. The timing of their ministry coincides with the birth of the Messiah, reminding us that the witnesses’ mission is linked to the coming of Christ.

## Mary’s Yes and Our Own Response

We read Luke 1:26‑38, the Annunciation, where Mary responds, “May it be done to me according to your word.” Kathleen Norris writes that Mary’s “yes” is a profound act of trust that changes her forever. In Advent we are invited to ask ourselves: when does God’s love break into our consciousness, and do we run from it or respond with a trusting “yes” like Mary?

## Prayer and Closing

We prayed the Advent litany, the Our Father, Hail Mary, Psalm 130, and the Apostles’ Creed, asking God to give us the grace to say “yes” in our daily lives. We concluded with a prayer for the mercy of Christ to draw all souls back to the Church.

*In Advent, we are called to discern who God may be sending as witnesses and to answer Him with a wholehearted “yes,” just as Mary did.*