Day 8: The Flight into Egypt

Lord God, Almighty King: in your hands all things are placed. If you wish to save your people, no one can resist your will. You made heaven and earth and all that is contained in them; you are the owner of all things. Who, then, can resist your majesty? Lord, God of our fathers: have mercy on your people, for the enemies of the soul seek to destroy us and the difficulties that confront us are very great. You have said: "Ask and it shall be given to you. He who asks receives. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will grant it to you. But ask with faith." Hear, then, our prayers. Forgive our faults. Turn away from us the punishments we deserve and make our weeping turn to joy, so that, by living, we may praise your holy name and continue praising it eternally in heaven. Amen.

¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up" he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷ Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

¹⁸ "A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more."

As we pray this novena, let us place ourselves beside them on that lonely road. Mary carries the Child who is the Light of the world, yet for now that Light must be hidden so it will not be extinguished. Joseph walks ahead, protecting the two most precious souls ever entrusted to a man, knowing that Herod's soldiers are hunting the life of the One he loves more than his own. In their obedience, poverty and silence we see the perfect model of trust. They do not ask for signs or explanations; they simply rise and go because God has spoken. May we learn from them to respond with the same prompt and generous faith when the Lord asks us to leave our own securities, our plans, even our "Bethlehems" and follow Him into the unknown, carrying Jesus in our hearts wherever the road of providence leads. Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us, that we may never fear the flight God asks of us, knowing that wherever we go with Jesus and Mary, we are already home.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.