If there’s one character in the Bible who’s truly underrated, it’s probably Saint Joseph. He is Jesus’s earthly father, but somehow none of his words were recorded in the scriptures. In fact, there are very few mentions of him in the Bible. And when he is mentioned, it’s mostly in passing. But without him, the salvation story would have been very different. If not for him stepping up and owning Jesus as his son, God’s plan wouldn’t have come to fruition.

Joseph is patron of workers, fathers, families. the universal Church, carpenters, social justice, and many others. Joseph is also the patron of the dying.

St. Joseph is the favourite saint of our holy father Pope Francis. He has given a series of talks on the various aspects of St. Joseph’s life. One of the aspects that the Holy Father stresses the most is the silence of St. Joseph. The favourite statue of Pope Francis is the sleeping St. Joseph because for him Joseph was the man of quiet yet alert and active. He slept but always awake to the needs of Jesus and Mother Mary. Thus, he is the faithful servant of the Lord who even today continues to protect the universal Church and all families through his active yet quiet presence. He is the example of contemplation.

The Holy Father speaking during his General Audience in Paul VI Hall in his third edition of his lessons about the saint who is not quoted in the Bible but has a role of action as the Father of Jesus, suggested that everyone needs silence.

“Joseph’s silence is not mutism, he is not taciturn; it is a silence full of listening, an industrious silence, a silence that brings out his great interiority,” the Pope said. “’The Father spoke a word, and it was his Son’, comments St John of the Cross, the Father said a word and it was his Son – ‘and it always speaks in eternal silence, and in silence it must be heard by the soul’.

“How good it would be if each one of us, following the example of Saint Joseph, were able to recover this contemplative dimension of life, opened wide in silence. But we all know from experience that it is not easy: silence frightens us a little, because it asks us to delve into ourselves and to confront the part of us that is true. And many people are afraid of silence, they have to speak, and speak, and speak, or listen to radio or television… but they cannot accept silence because they are afraid.”

The Holy Father urged those listening to make a space in their live for silence and make time to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.

This is the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’ papacy. Let us all unite in prayer for our beloved Holy Father, specially for his good health. May St. Joseph continue to guide him through his powerful intercession.

I wish you all a very happy feast of St. Joseph.