The first thing the Scriptures say about St. Joseph is that he is a righteous and just man. That is one of the primary points Woodeene Koenig-Bricker impressed upon participants in the Boston Area’s Preparing for Advent online presentation in November, which focused on St. Joseph.

Woodeene is a journalist who has written extensively about spirituality and family for major Catholic publications. She is the author of several books, including Dinner Party With the Saints. “We just don’t have a clear idea of who Joseph was,” Woodeene said. She suggested a new way of looking at Advent would be to focus on Joseph, choosing one aspect of his life for each of the four weeks of the season: Joseph as a man, worker, husband, and father.

Joseph the Man: Joseph was a practicing, first-century Jew, which meant that he was devout, adhered to Jewish law and worshiped at the temple. “He was a man whose faith in the Jewish tradition imbued his whole being,” Woodeene said.

Joseph the Worker: Joseph is commonly described as a carpenter, but Woodeene said scholars now think he was closer to what we think of today as a general contractor. It is thought he wasn’t rich, but he wasn’t destitute either.

Joseph the Husband: Scripture doesn’t tell us Joseph’s age. There has been a theory that he was an old man. However, Woodeene sugested that idea may have been put forward as a way to explain the concept that Mary remained a virgin after Jesus’ birth. “Mary’s virginity at the time of Jesus’ birth was always attested, but her perpetual virginity was not,” Woodeene said.

Joseph, the Father: The Scriptures tell us that, when Joseph discovered during their betrothal that Mary was with child, he planned to quietly divorce her. (A betrothal was a deeper commitment than our modern-day engagement, hence the idea of divorcing as opposed to simply walking away.) The divorce would have been better for Mary, as Joseph could say he’d simply changed his mind. The shame would come to him, not her. “I think that of all the things that Joseph did, that may be the most admirable,” Woodeene said. As a father, Joseph would have taught Jesus the skill of carpentry and what it meant to be a good Jew.

In the question-and-answer session that followed, participants expressed their appreciation for the presentation:

“I think it’s great the way you’ve made him real in your presentation. You made him a person.” Peter Kelly

“The part of the story that I like the most was hearing how, in this very difficult circumstance, he chose to take the burdens onto himself.” John Hilson

“I don’t think I’ll look at Joseph the same way again.” Nancy Gibson

To learn more about St. Joseph, read Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter here.