St. Joseph Speaks

Matt 1:25: “…and he named him Jesus.”

It is often said that St. Joseph never speaks in the Gospels. And yet, the Gospel writers tell us St. Joseph names Jesus. This then is the one recorded word we know of St. Joseph: Jesus. This is fitting. Fr. Faber penned:

Oh marvellous! Oh worshipful!
No song or sound is heard, But everywhere and every hour, In love, in wisdom, and in power, The Father speaks His dear Eternal Word!

From all eternity, Jesus’ Heavenly Father speaks His Word, His Son. Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, mirrors God the Father by also speaking his Son.

We ought not to think “one word is everything he says.” Rather, we ought to think “He says One Word: Everything.”