St Joseph is usually mentioned in the gospels at moments of distress. His betrothed wife was with child before they were married. To escape the hatred of Herod he had to fly hurriedly into exile. When Christ was missing after the visit to Jerusalem, Joseph and Mary had to return to the city seeking with trepidation the boy who had been committed to their care. Though descended from the line of David, and thereby a link in the family tree that joined Christ to the royal family, Joseph's ancestry involved the journey to Bethlehem and the Christmas birth in a stable. Later Christ would be rejected as being "the son of a carpenter".

In these difficult situations and times of decision Joseph was associated with Mary. Like her he always wanted to seek the will of God and act according to it. We may be sure that she was a source of strong support to him both in reflection and action.