Lenten Series: Mar 19

Yesterday was St. Joseph's feast and, I just have to say, he pulled through for me in a wonderful way on an impromptu prayer request.
Anyway, he's a major player in our salvation but the Bible states just a few explicit lines on him. He did not even have any quotable quotes, unlike Mama Mary (who said, "Do as He tells you") - who also had little explicitly mentioned passages on her. No, all that was said about him was that: (1) he was a righteous and compassionate man - when he decided to just divorce Mama Mary secretly upon finding out that she was pregnant; and (2) he followed with blind and unquestioning faith - when he took Mama Mary into his home at an angel's word ... in a dream!
But is that really all that was said of him? Fr. James Martin calls it out correctly. He played a huge part in molding Jesus' character and values growing up. Note, that the Jews was a patriarchal society and a big portion of Jesus' teachings are founded on the concept of His relationship with God the Father. These would not have been tangible or even accessible to Him (being human) if He did not have the same relationship quality with His earthly father, St. Joseph.
Thus, the Bible is not wanting of passages about St. Joseph and Mama Mary. Jesus' entire life is a testament to who they were. Their most prominent characteristics/values of faith and obedience were central to Jesus' Gospel. It is only right to recognize, that Mama Mary was not the only one who was handpicked and prepared ... so was St. Joseph.

From 2nd Reading - Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22
"... through the righteousness that comes from faith For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham ...
He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations."

From the Gospel - Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24
"Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home."