Going Out On a Limb

Sister Linda Bechen, RSM, authored this post. Sr. Linda is a Sister of Mercy and the Vice President for Mission and Ministry at Mount Mercy University.

Recently, Pope Francis declared this as the Year of Joseph. In announcing this year, Pope Francis wrote in his Apostolic letter, Patris Corde, mindful of the COVID – 19 pandemic, which, he says, “has helped us see more clearly the importance of ‘ordinary people’ who, though far from the limelight, exercise patience, and offer hope every day. In this, they resemble St. Joseph, the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet, and hidden presence, who nonetheless played an incomparable role in the history of salvation.” 

Based on our experience, I would venture that some of us might not have a lot of words to describe Joseph primarily because of the few and brief Scriptural references to him. Father, carpenter, husband, servant, quiet, brave, faithful, faith-filled, and committed. might be some that come to mind. To paraphrase Catherine McAuley, he was one who did the ordinary extraordinary well. In doing so, he responded to and could be an instrument of action and grace in God’s plan of salvation.  

 Joseph was a witness of discipleship; that is, he responded to the call to follow no matter the cost, circumstance, or challenge. This call is ours as well and manifested in lives which do not deviate very far from Joseph’s. Paying attention and being aware of what we are being called to as well as how our “yes” invites us to be stretched and deepened in new and often subtle ways. All is key in developing and growing our discipleship. Very simply, sometimes we are called to relinquish our “ordinariness”, our comfort zones to respond to the greatness that God’s desires to be revealed through us. 

Recently during Advent, I read a reflection from Max Lucado’s book, GodCame Near,in which he wrote about Joseph being a person whose life was secure as a carpenter in the village of Nazareth. There were several known’s in his life—he knew his occupation; he knew that as a young Jewish man that he would one day marry and through the grace of God that, hopefully, the blessing of children would be his; he knew that Nazareth would be his home. This security, however, was upended when several challenges were placed before him with the announcement of Mary’s pregnancy. 

 In responding faithfully to his commitment to wed Mary, he opens himself further to what he is being called to. It doesn’t stop here. He is thrust out of the known to embrace other possibilities not only for him alone but for his family. With each step, he moves in faith to the next and the path is revealed through time and circumstance. Lucado states that Joseph was invited to go out on a limb and at times, nudged to go further in order that God’s salvation could be revealed and realized. 

Ironically, a couple of days after reading this, I watched a squirrel gingerly on a limb of tree. I noted that it was easy for the squirrel to navigate the broad branches but it was a challenge the farther out the squirrel went or when the branches became thin. At one point, the squirrel clutched the limb and literally inched its way back to the security of the trunk. He continued his exploration always retreating to the trunk.  

Much has transpired for each of us over the days and weeks of the pandemic which have unfolded into months and now reaching into a which are reaching into a year. The reading and watching the squirrel’s exploration have sparked me to ask: For whom…for what am I willing to go out on a limb? How far out on the limb am I willing to go? What are the securities in my life that I am willing to “put aside” to respond more deeply or more fully to God’s call or desire for me? 

During this year, let us look to Joseph as a model of faith and discipleship in responding to the greatness of God in our lives. Let us join with Lucado in praying:  

Heavenly Father, I see in Joseph’s life the importance of responding to your call. Help me to be like him and to have the courage to go out on the limb you are calling me to. Strengthen my faith to believe you will always be there to support me. Amen.