by Fr. David Huemmer, Chaplain & Spiritual Director
The story concerning the flight into Egypt gives us an important insight into the virtue of obedience in the life of St. Joseph. When told by the angel to flee to Egypt as the life of the child Jesus was being sought, St. Joseph acted without words. Surely it was a trying time for him as St. Joseph had to leave important things behind: work, tools, and the comforts of a known place.
It was also a long journey for the Holy Family to take. Some have estimated the journey to be 430 miles--roughly the distance from Chicago to Pittsburgh. Consider that a day’s travel with a donkey at that time would be, at tops, 15 miles. This would make it a month-long journey for the Holy Family.
To add to the complications, traveling conditions where not the best. Not only were the roads poor, but there was the heat to contend with when traveling. Also, it was not uncommon to encounter bandits along the way. Finally, there were not many places to stay for overnight lodging.
Another thing to consider is that back in those days, the Holy Family lived in a culture that really did not move to different places as we do today. On top of that, their destination was a place whose history was once associated with persecution (think of the Exodus).
However, St. Joseph did not flinch; instead, he is most obedient and trusts in the message of the angel and proceeds forth with the plan.
This example of the obedience of St. Joseph gives us some insight into why the Sisters of St. Joseph would have had this as one of the titles in the Litany in the St. Joseph Chapel. Obedience was one of the vows that a professed sister would make. Obedience involves listening with more than just the ear, but also with the heart. St. Joseph had to do this when the angel came to him. Listening and trusting in the Lord, he acted. The Sisters would have done the same with opportunities involving new assignments or starting new ministries to which the Lord was inviting them. It took courage to be obedient to the Lord’s call and St. Joseph was a model of this for them!
The Statue of St. Joseph outside of the Chapel is one of the lesser-known images of St. Joseph on campus. Standing guard from his lofty position there since 1957, St. Joseph carries his saw in one hand showing forth his trade. In the other hand is a lily reminding us of his purity and chaste love of Mary. It is an image of St. Joseph worth discovering on your next visit to St. Joseph Retreat and Conference Center.