Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph. I often reflect on this great, humble Saint, and I have my own ridiculous ideas about the walk to Bethlehem.

If I were St. Joseph, during the journey to Bethlehem with Mary, I would have been dreaming about the five-star hotel that God had picked out for us. I mean, this is God—the Creator of the universe—and more than likely, this is the one and only time His Son is going to be born on Earth. Of course, God would have provided a comfortable place for Mary and Joseph to stay in exchange for their willingness to help execute “the plan.”

Fast forward to what we know now. God didn’t provide a five-star hotel for Joseph and Mary. He didn’t provide any extravagance at all. Instead, God provided the simplest and most humble of birthplaces—a stable. I hope we understand why. Because Christ came to show us that God’s plan is different. His plan involves suffering and hardship. His plan involves stables and crucifixions.

I’m sure many of us have found ourselves in a stable when we expected the Ritz. We expect God’s goodness to mean fun, exciting, easy, and joyful. Instead God often calls us to hard things. But He doesn’t expect anything from us that He isn’t willing to experience Himself. And He NEVER asks us to suffer alone. God is always with us. Somehow, I think St. Joseph understood this perfectly. When this happens, we can look to St. Joseph as a model and ask for his intercession to help us through difficult times.

In what ways can I trust God more when I face difficulties or disappointments?

Lord, when I find myself in a stable instead of the comfort I expected, help me to trust in Your plan, knowing that You are always with me, just as You were with St. Joseph. Amen.