Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and Saint Rose,

The second of the seven dolors (sorrows) of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the flight to Egypt. The account of this is a brief mention in the Gospel of Matthew 2:13-15.

Joseph has a dream after the visit of the Wise Men. He is warned to flee to Egypt. Joseph must be a man of very strong faith, as he appears to obey the commands given in his dreams without question. He is able to recognize the voice of God in these dreams. Apparently he awakens the Virgin Mary and they start out for Egypt immediately.

Imagine the fear and hesitation that must have been in the minds of Joseph and Mary. They are being asked to take a long and arduous journey to a place they have never been, with a newborn baby! Again I say that it proves that they were people with a great faith and trust in God. But it must indeed have brought a great anguish and sorrow to both Joseph and Mary.

It is difficult in my own life to follow the will of God, especially if He asks me to do something difficult and uncomfortable. It takes great trust and faith to live the Christian life.  Phrases like Offer it up, Take up your cross, or even What would Jesus do? roll off the tongue very easily, but they are difficult to put into practice.

What follows the fleeing of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to Egypt is horrific. Herod orders all the infant boys in the area of Bethlehem to be slain. This is similar to the pharaoh, in the days of Moses, ordering all the newborn males to be killed. Moses is spared by being floated in a basket on the river. He grows up to lead his people out of Egypt to the promised land. Jesus leaves Egypt and leads His people to the promised land of the Kingdom of God.

So much sorrow surrounds the birth of Jesus. Yet, for us it is the most blessed of events. Jesus the Savior is born into the world and even all this sorrow pales in comparison to the joy that is to come. Even all that evil works to the good.

In our own lives, we too are on a pilgrimage. We do not always see what lies before us. We do know that the end goal is the Kingdom of Heaven. We also know that Jesus is our constant companion.
Msgr. Cox
Flight Into Egypt, Fra Angelico (1452)