Day 2 of Novena to Our Lady of the Snows

Scripture:
“Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.” — Hebrews 13:2

“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt.” — Matthew 2:13

Contemplation:
Who in your life needs welcome, compassion, or understanding?

Reflection:
There are moments in life when the greatest journey is not outward… but inward.
A place where wounds are hidden… where fear quietly lingers… where the heart longs to be seen.
And today, you are invited there—not with fear, but with hope.
“Do not neglect hospitality to strangers…”
The Word speaks clearly.
But what if the stranger is not across the road…
but within your own soul?
The unfamiliar pain you avoid.
The memories you keep at a distance.
The parts of your story that feel too broken to welcome.
Yet even there… God is already present.
In the night, Joseph rises and flees with the Child and His Mother.
Matthew tells us they became strangers in a foreign land—vulnerable, unseen, without refuge.
And still… they were held.
Our Lady of Refuge… knows what it is to carry uncertainty,
to walk through fear,
to trust when no clear path is given.
And so she comes to you now—not to rush your healing…
but to guide you gently toward it.
What if healing begins here…
in the courage to embrace what feels unfamiliar?
To sit with the stranger inside you…
and discover that grace has been waiting there all along?
You are not alone in this place.
Where fear once lived… refuge can grow.
Where wounds remain… hope can take root.
And within you—
yes, even within you—
God is making all things new.

Prayer:
Our Lady of Refuge,
you who offer a place of safety and peace to all who seek your care,
draw us into the shelter of your maternal heart.
Teach us to notice those who feel alone,
to encourage those who feel out of place,
and to comfort those who carry hidden burdens.
As the Holy Family once trusted in God’s guidance and protection,
help us trust that the Lord walks with us
in every moment of uncertainty.
Heal whatever keeps us distant from one another,
soften whatever closes our hearts,
and fill us with the kindness and compassion of your Son.
May your gentle presence lead us
to create spaces of welcome, peace, and understanding
wherever we go.
Amen.