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Today is the Feast of St. Joseph. He’s a fascinating figure, an integral part of the story of salvation, but in maybe the most ordinary way. A man who was steadfast in faith, righteous and unassuming, who took on a difficult mission with courage and confidence in the Lord’s provision.

Scripture doesn’t tell us a lot about St. Joseph. What we know, we know from only the infancy narratives, the first few chapters of Matthew and Luke’s gospels. We know that he was from the house of David, yet of humble means. We know that he was a righteous man, faithful to the Jewish law and regarded as an honest and trustworthy. We know that he was a carpenter, a man who worked hard for his family, and that he was compassionate, willing to send Mary away quietly as to not expose her to shame. We know that when the angel of the Lord came to him in a dream, he didn’t hesitate to take action (despite the confusion he must have felt), first in taking her as his wife and again in taking his family to safety in Egypt. Though we know he died before Jesus’ public ministry began, we don’t know much about any other time of his life, or the circumstances of his death.  

But the role that Joseph plays in salvation history is so significant, not only because it was important for Jesus to have an earthly Father, but also because of the way he completed this task. St. Joseph is intriguing because it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to be him and to carry on this divine responsibility with so much humility and integrity.

We live in a world where Fatherhood is under attack. Our television shows treat fathers as incapable baffoons, out of touch with reality and with their heads buried in the TV and a bag of chips. We have a created a world, as C. S. Lewis puts it, full of “men without chests.” We have a Fatherhood crisis, with single mothers accounting for 80% of single parent homes. We scoff at ability of men to lead a family and then wonder why so many don’t think they can.

But if you’ve had the blessing to be around good men, you know how vital they are to the welfare of a culture. Because men with Godly masculinity are strong but gentle, brave but humble, hardworking but jovial and loving. They demonstrate the balance of life lived with purpose and with eternal perspective. A good man knows the mission to which they are called. A good father lays down his life for his family in day-to-day service and compassion.

St. Joseph’s life wasn’t significant because of his worldly accomplishments, but because of his quiet obedience. He didn’t concern himself with the affairs of this world, but with the distinct call of the Father on his life and vocation he had been given.

On this Feast of St. Joseph, let us follow Pope Benedict’s advice, “Let us allow ourselves to be ‘infected’ by the silence of St Joseph! We have much need of it in a world which is often too noisy, which does not encourage reflection and listening to the voice of God.”