The Silence of Saint Joseph
March 19th is the Feast of Saint Joseph, and I think it’s a good reason to pause and reflect on his example as we continue through Lent.
One thing you always hear about Saint Joseph — or maybe you don’t hear it, pun intended — is his silence. There is not a single word recorded as having been spoken by Saint Joseph in all of Scripture.
His silence is profound.
And as we continue our journey through Lent, we can take a page from his book. There are times in Lent where we have to do things. We say extra prayers. We give alms. We add disciplines to our day.
But silence is actually not doing anything. Holding our tongue. Not complaining when things are hard. Silently bearing the crosses that God sends our way.
It’s not always a question of doing more. Sometimes it’s doing less.
Saint Joseph simply listened to God and obeyed. In silence.
When the angel told him to take Mary as his wife — he did.
When the angel told him to flee to Egypt — he went.
When the angel told him to return — he came back.
No questions. No complaints. No recorded words at all.
Just faithful, silent obedience.
That’s a powerful example for us during Lent, and really, throughout our lives.
How often do we feel the need to explain ourselves? To defend our choices? To make sure everyone knows our side of the story?
How often do we complain when things are difficult? When crosses come our way? When God asks something hard of us?
This Lent, maybe one of the most powerful things we can do is to embrace the silence of Saint Joseph.
Saint Joseph, pray for us. Teach us your silence. Help us bear our crosses without complaint, trust God without explanation, and follow His will without needing the last word. Amen.
Reflections by:
Mark Quaranta
Mark Quaranta’s daily reflections, formerly known as Summons, are now The Victor’s Crown. Subscribe for free at TheVictorsCrown.com. Paid subscriptions support the work and unlock premium content. Explore Mark’s prayer journals at PrayOnPaper.com.