St. Joseph’s silence

Considered the “strong, silent, type,” much press is given to the fact that we never hear a word from St. Joseph, spouse of the Virgin Mary and foster father of Jesus, in the Bible. But as we approach the principle day of the Year of St. Joseph, the feast day of St. Joseph on March 19, there are many high ranking, saintly friends who have lots to say about how he inspired them.

St. Francis de Sales, a doctor of the church and founder of the Order of Visitation of Holy Mary, was a faithful devotee of  St. Joseph. St. Francis named at least one parish in St. Joseph’s honor and called him a model for the interior life and contemplative prayers.  

Carmelite mystic and reformer St. Teresa of Avila sang the praises of St. Joseph in her autobiography:

“I took for my patron and Lord the glorious St. Joseph and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honor and the loss of my soul, this my father and Lord delivered me and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for.

“I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favors which God hath given me through this blessed saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and of soul.”

 Venerable Margaret of the Most Holy Sacrament loved to contemplate on the Holy Family. She encouraged people to venerate St. Joseph as the worthy spouse of the mother of God and the guardian of the “Immaculate Word.” She wrote to a fellow woman religious:

“I am delighted to find you installed in your present post. I conjure you to unite yourself to our dear and amiable child Jesus, who, in St. Joseph’s workshop, did not consider himself the master but merely as an assistant. Unite your labors to those of that blessed child: accustom yourself to look upon the sister whom you have been appointed to assist, in the same light as that in which he considered St. Joseph. I am also an assistant to one of our sisters, and I will endeavor to be faithful to the practices which I now recommend to you.”

St. Faustina Kowalska wrote in her diary that St. Joseph appeared to her and urged her to have a special devotion and pray three prayers to him every day (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be) as well as the Memorare. The Memorare she had the sisters of her congregation pray each day was:

“Remember, O most pure spouse of Mary, and my dearly beloved guardian, St. Joseph, that never was it known that anyone who invoked your care and requested your help was left without consolation. Inspired with this confidence, I come to you and with all the ardor of my spirit I commend myself to you. Do not reject my prayer, O Foster Father of the Savior, but graciously receive and answer it. Amen.”  

If you thought St. Joseph probably has “nothing to say” regarding an important situation or decision you have to make in your life, pray to him and seek his advice. According to some of his friends in high places, and as shown by his obedience when God spoke to him through dreams, he’s a good listener and will likely have the “right words” for you.