Today we celebrate the quintessential strong but silent man—St. Joseph. In all of Sacred Scripture, Joseph never says a word. He is not even mentioned in two of the Gospels. Joseph is a man we really know very little about (Shameless plug here—read my book, Yosef’s Path: Lessons from my Father, to meet a fleshed-out Joseph). Still, what we are told, especially in Matthew’s Gospel, reveals a man who has deep faith in his God, respects the laws of his faith, and strives to do the proper thing. These qualities make Joseph a role model for all of us, not just men. I can quietly go about my life, stiving to do the right thing, holding firmly to my faith, and respecting the teaching of my church without fanfare. And in so doing, I can hope that just like Joseph, I will raise up Jesus for others to see. His are big footprints to fill and follow, but he has blazed a path for us that is plain to see.
