Unwanted Journeys

December 28, 2025; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23; Feast of the Holy Family

Christmas can be exhausting. For as good as it is, once the preparations, the gatherings, and the meals are completed, there is a certain relief in returning to the normal routine. It is possible that Joseph and Mary felt this, the first Christmas. Oh, the song of the angels was beautiful, the shepherds were so welcoming, and the gifts that the Magi brought were amazing! But when the last Magi left, Mary might well have turned to Joseph and said “I am so ready for things to get back to normal!” But normal was not to be. Because the very night that the Magi left, an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph and said “Rise. Take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, for Herod is preparing to search for the child to destroy him.” Before Jesus took his first steps, before he uttered his first words, his life was already in danger. Before Mary could recover from childbirth, she found herself on a journey to protect her family.

Life is like that, isn’t it. We want what is normal, but normal keeps being interrupted by journeys that we would rather not take. It could be a journey with a son, daughter, or friend going through a divorce. It could be a journey through cancer treatment. It could be a journey caring for an ailing parent with dementia. We want our life to be normal, but like Mary and Joseph, we find ourselves moving towards a future that is uncertain. In moments such as these, it is so important to realize that we are not alone, that God travels with us. The angel who spoke to Joseph did not say, “Do not be afraid—nothing bad will happen to you.” The angel said “Get up. Depart. Stay there until I tell you.” Or in other words, “Keep moving, and I will guide the way.”

The promise of Christmas is not that we will be shielded from sorrow and pain. The promise of Christmas is that God will give us the strength to travel difficult paths that we would rather avoid. So, I hope that your Christmas was blessed and joyous, and I hope that, as you begin to wrap up the celebrations of this season, your life will resume a gentle and peaceful routine. But, if, like Mary and Joseph, you find that God is suddenly calling you to begin a journey. And you do not know how long it will take or when you might return. Do not panic. Hold fast to the faith that the God who called you to set out will not desert you on the road.