Submission was His Middle Name

“Rise, take the Child and His Mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you.” (Mt 2:13)

A week ago, I began the journey to renew my consecration to Jesus through St. Joseph. How appropriate that my goal for this year is submission to God in everything. Besides Mama Mary, whom better to teach me about submission than her humble husband, Joseph?

Joseph was completely submissive to God in every aspect of his life. We could say that submission was his middle name. First, when Joseph found out that Mary, his betrothed, was with Child, and knowing that this Child was not his because they were still not living together as husband and wife, he decided to separate from her quietly. God had a different plan for him, though. An angel appeared to Joseph in his dreams and said to him: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21-22). St. Joseph responds with obedient action: “He did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home” (Mt 1:24). He did not question God. He obeyed, he trusted, and he surrendered his will in quiet and humble submission.

His second big act of submission came when it was almost time for Mary to give birth. Obviously, he didn’t have much choice because this order came from the government. He had to return to his city of birth to register for the census, and he had to take his family with him. This meant that they had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the equivalent of 150 kms or 94 miles, through unpaved and dangerous roads, with just a donkey for transportation. I am sure he was not happy, but he trusted that God would go with them. His trust was surely tested when they arrived at Bethlehem and could not find any lodging. “There was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). They ended up spending the night in a stable surrounded by bugs and animals. But he did not question God. If this was the place that God had selected for the birth of His Son, even if he did not understand, he obeyed, he trusted, and he surrendered to God.

After they had settled in Bethlehem, Joseph had another dream. This time, the angel told him to go to Egypt: “Rise, take the Child and His Mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you” (Mt 2:13). I am sure that his desire was to return to Nazareth, to his extended family, to his friends, and to his workshop. Egypt was a strange country. He did not know anyone there. Why would God ask him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt? But once again, Joseph submitted to the will of God, and “took the Child and His Mother by night and departed for Egypt” (Mt 2:14). This required another trip through treacherous roads, with a Baby and a young Mary who had just delivered a Child. But Joseph obeyed, he trusted, and he surrendered, and in the process, he saved Jesus’ life because Herod wanted to kill him.

Many times I do not understand what Jesus asks of me. For example, today I find myself in Texas. Honestly, if you had told me a week ago that I was going to be in Texas today, I would have laughed. I wanted to go to New York to visit my son, DIL, and grandsons, or to North Carolina to visit my other children. Texas was not in my plans. But here I am. I have no idea why God brought me to Texas, but I have come with the heart of a pilgrim. And I cannot wait to find out what God has in store for me. In the meantime, I am being submissive, just like St. Joseph. Next week, I will share why God led me to Texas. Hopefully, just like St. Joseph, my heart will be fully open to recognize God’s signs and messages all around me.

Have a blessed week.

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