Tribute to a Quiet Man

I guess most of us are aware that St. Joseph was not big on talking. At least he didn’t make any statements for publication in The Book. Not a word-bandier, small-talker, bull shooter. No running off at the mouth, jacking his jaws, talking through his hat. Didn’t jabber, chatter, prattle, blather, yakety-yak or yada yada yada.

In his cameo appearances in the Scriptures, he is portrayed as a man of action. He finds out Mary is pregnant, and decides to quietly divorce her. In a dream he finds out about her carrying the Son of God, and he marries her. Again, while sleeping, he is told to flee Horrible Herod’s wrath, and he gathers up the clan and hot foots it to Egypt. The third documented sleep visitation brought the family back to Israel, while the last dream directed him to Nazareth.

The fact that all the angelic contacts came while Joseph was sleeping (and therefore could not respond verbally) seem to emphasize his bent to moving his being rather than moving his mouth.

And you gotta admire the guy’s cool when his pre-teen foster son responds to his mother at the temple when she states that, “Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” [Luke 2:48b NABRE] Young Jesus states that they should have known he was in “my Father’s house,” not referring to Joseph’s little place in Nazareth.

Mostly, I admire St. Joseph because he let his life do his talking. He took responsibility for raising the Son of God and protecting the Holy Family, in very tumultuous times.

While not as invisible as our patron, Matthias, he was a quietly powerful presence in the life of Our Lord and his mother. He was a big man without being a big noise.