December 15

The Descent from the Cross

So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away. — Matt 27:59-60 BSB

According to Roman custom, the bodies of those crucified were left hanging until they were eaten by birds and wild animals. This barbaric practice was revolting to the Jews, so an exception was made for them, allowing burial. If family or friends requested the body of a crucified person, it would be given to them for burial. If no one claimed it, the body would be thrown into a pit. Without Joseph and Nicodemus, the body of Jesus would have been discarded with the bodies of the robbers beside Him. Thanks to the love of these once-secret disciples, though Jesus died on a cross, He was buried with the dignity of a king.

We can reflect with tender thoughts on this moment. Jesus’ body was not roughly handled by soldiers but carefully taken down by Joseph, with Nicodemus and possibly others. We can imagine the love with which this task was done. They washed the blood from His face, hands, feet, and side. They wrapped the body in linen with spices and ointments. After one last kiss from His grieving friends, they covered His face with a cloth and carried Him to a tomb nearby, in a garden surrounded by flowers, where they laid Him to rest.

We cannot consider the burial of our Lord without drawing spiritual lessons. Shouldn’t we, for one, adopt the same gentle love, making our own acts of kindness deeper and more compassionate as we serve those in sorrow?