It has often been observed that the gospels do not record a single word of Saint Joseph; and it is this “silence” that has made him a special patron for the interior life as well as for contemplatives. And yet, Saint Joseph does speak albeit not with words but with his actions; and his actions speak of humility, unswerving trust and faith in God, and a similarly trusting, believing, and loving obedience. The impression one gets from Saint Joseph’s “silence” in the gospels is that of a person who was willing to live within, and surrender to, the mystery of God even when he didn’t fully understand the momentous events of salvation history in which he was participating in so personally and intimately. And it is perhaps this—more than his actual silence—that endears Saint Joseph to Cistercians and all those desirous of drawing closer to the Living God. It is this ability to embrace and surrender to the mystery and perplexity that not infrequently accompanies our own relationship with God, that helps us find in him a kindred spirit and mentor in our own struggles with faith, surrender, and obedience. And what further assists our identifying with Saint Joseph is that the gospels offer no final resolution of his faith journey. There is no post-resurrection experience of the now glorified Jesus to finally dissipate the temptations and doubts concerning the true nature of this Son of Mary. Instead, tradition claims that he died in faith before actually seeing the wonders of Christ’s Passover through death into Resurrected Life. We do well, then, to renew our devotion to this great saint and entrust ourselves and our faith to his fatherly intercession and protection so that we too may persevere through the darkness of faith and, one day, step into the full light of Eternal Life that is ours through him who was thought to be the son of Joseph.