Encountering the Heart of St. Joseph: 

The Flight Into Egypt

Though I have no personal experience being a parent, I have witnessed the beautiful and instantaneous transformation that occurs between mothers and fathers once their baby is born. What used to be a life focused on one another shifts almost entirely to the health and wellbeing of their child, ushering them into a life of total self-sacrifice.

 Even as the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph  experienced this transformation before Jesus’ birth as he took Mary into his home and protected her and the unborn child on the journey to Bethlehem. At each moment he was willing to protect them and be attentive to their needs but his job didn’t end once the journey was over and Jesus was born. In fact, it was just beginning. 

After St. Joseph had a dream warning him to escape to Egypt with his family, he woke them and headed off to a foreign land, many miles away from their home. In an instant, St. Joseph was willing to abandon his life in Nazareth and all that he was accustomed to in order to protect his son, the Messiah.

 Though it wasn’t ideal, St. Joseph shows us what it means to be attuned to God’s voice and promptings, trusting that he is going to lead us to the exact place we need to be. Even if we don’t understand, the Lord is giving us a space to grow in trust, just as St. Joseph did.

 St. Joseph, obedient foster father to Jesus, pray for us!

Nicole Jones, Digital Media Manager, Diocese of Baton Rouge