In his Apostolic Letter entitled "With a Father's heart", Pope Francis describes Saint Joseph as a beloved father, a tender and loving father, an obedient father, a father who is creatively courageous, a working father and a father in the shadows.

As such St. Joseph is a model for all of us, as we make our journey to the Lord. As a beloved father, he was loved by God and specifically chosen to be the spouse of the Mother of God. As a loving father, he embraced the Son of Mary as his own to protect her and him. As an obedient father, he said "yes" to God's plan for Mary and Jesus, surrendering his own expectations and dreams. As an accepting father, he accepted Jesus as his own and gave him his name, validating legitimacy. 

As a courageous father he endures the many hardships in protecting Jesus without complaining. As a working father, he used his skill as a carpenter to provide for Jesus and Mary and to teach Jesus a trade. As a father in the shadows, no words of his are recorded in the scriptures. He was behind the scenes, never in the limelight. Whether we are a man or woman, we can learn much from the example of St. Joseph and his example of life in the shadows for the sake of others. St. Joseph, pray for us.