The Art of Being Saint Joseph: The Most Underrated Saint in the Catholic Church
When you think about Catholic saints, specific names come to mind for specific needs.
Saint Jude for impossible cases (Asadhya karyangal).
Saint Anthony when you lose something important.
We have special saints for almost everything.
But here’s the thing: in real life, we have police to find lost things, doctors to heal us, and professionals for almost every problem.
So what makes Saint Joseph different?
He was available for his wife. (Daivathinte Charanmar – Joseph Annamkutty)
That simple fact changes everything.
The Saint Nobody Talks About Enough
Let’s be honest — sometimes it feels like Saint Joseph is the most underrated saint in the Catholic Church.
Yes, he’s the earthly father of Jesus Christ. But somehow, he doesn’t get the attention he deserves.
(Actually, it’s not really like that — it was our childhood misunderstanding.)
Look at the Bible. There’s plenty written about Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus (ottikoduthavan).
But about Joseph? Almost nothing.
Even in the genealogy (Vamshavali), the Bible mentions Saint Joseph simply as “the husband of Mary.”
For the Jewish people, that was shocking — their tradition placed all importance on men.
But the Bible defines Joseph through his relationship to Mary.
Yet the Bible gives him one word that says everything: “Neethiman” (the righteous one).
No other word was needed. That single word captures who Joseph truly was.
The Night Joseph Couldn't Sleep
There’s another powerful story found in the apocryphal text “The Gospel of Saint Jacob” (also known as The Infancy Gospel of James).
Joseph learned that King Herod had ordered all children under the age of two to be killed.
An angel warned him in a dream, and he immediately took Mary and baby Jesus and escaped to Egypt.
Jesus was saved.
But Joseph couldn’t sleep after that.
Night after night, he lay awake — the guilt haunted him. He had saved his own child, but what about all the others?
What about their mothers and fathers? He hadn’t warned anyone else.
He couldn’t, without putting Jesus in danger.
Still, the weight of those deaths crushed him. (Bobby Jose Kattikkattu — “The Sleep of Joseph”)
This shows how deeply virtuous Joseph was.
A truly good person feels the pain of others, even when they’ve done nothing wrong.
Joseph did the right thing by protecting Jesus, yet his heart still broke for the families who lost their children.
That’s real holiness.
Why Saint Joseph Matters More Today
If any saint’s example is becoming more important with each passing day, it’s Saint Joseph’s.
When you look at statues of Saint Joseph in churches, you’ll notice three symbols — each one teaching us how to live a good and grounded life.
1. Jesus in His Hands – Don’t Lose What Matters Most
In most Saint Joseph statues, he’s holding baby Jesus. There’s a powerful lesson here.
There is no greater miracle than Jesus — than the Eucharist itself. The statue reminds us:
Don’t lose Jesus from your hands while you’re busy with religious activities.
Think about it — we often get caught up in church programs, theological debates, or spiritual routines, and forget about Jesus himself.
We’re doing religious things but missing the relationship.
When you hold the church in your hands, make sure Jesus doesn’t slip through your fingers.
Joseph reminds us to keep Jesus close. Always.
2. The Carpenter’s Tools – Work Is Worship
Saint Joseph’s statues often show carpenter’s tools beside him. This teaches us something beautiful:
Work is worship.
There is no more beautiful prayer than being faithful in your daily duties.
Joseph was a carpenter. He made tables, chairs, and other things people needed.
He worked with his hands every single day — nothing spectacular, nothing that would make headlines.
But that work was his prayer. Every piece of wood he shaped, every job he completed honestly, every customer he served fairly — all of it was worship.
We often separate our “spiritual life” from our “work life.”
Joseph shows us they’re the same thing.
Whether you’re a teacher, driver, cook, software engineer, or stay-at-home parent — your daily work matters to God.
Do it well. Do it honestly. That’s prayer.
3. The Lily Flowers – The Power of Silence
The lily flower in Saint Joseph’s statues represents purity — but it also stands for simplicity and silence.
Joseph never spoke a single word in the Bible. Not one recorded sentence. Yet his silence spoke volumes.
In a generation where everyone shares everything on social media — where people spy, compare, and comment endlessly — Joseph reminds us of the strength of silence.
Silence isn’t weakness. Silence is strength.
Joseph didn’t:
- Post about his problems online
- Share his confusion when Mary became pregnant
- Complain publicly about having no room at the inn
- Tell everyone his opinions about everything
He lived quietly. He worked faithfully. He loved deeply.
And he kept sacred things sacred.
In today’s world — where privacy is fading and people perform their lives for an audience — Joseph teaches us something radical:
You don’t need to share everything. Silence is prayer.
The Simple Truth About Saint Joseph
The Bible needed only one word to describe Joseph: “Neethiman” — the righteous one.
He wasn’t flashy. He didn’t seek attention. He never wrote books or gave speeches.
But he changed the world by being faithful in small things.
He held Jesus close and never let go.
He worked honestly every single day.
He loved quietly but deeply.
He was there when his family needed him.
That’s it. That’s the whole lesson.
That’s the art of being Saint Joseph.
And honestly? That’s more than enough.