Station 14, Day 3

Station 14, Day 3

Jesus is laid in the tomb

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.

 Luke 23:50-54

Meditation

            In the case of Jesus, there was reason for haste in placing his body in a tomb. Jesus died sometime in the afternoon on a Friday, and the Sabbath would begin at sundown. Fridays were days of preparation for the Sabbath. No work was to be done on the Sabbath. Burying a dead body, presumably, was considered work.

            It is interesting to me that Jesus’ death occurs in time to take his body down from the cross and place it in a tomb before sundown. Even in dying, Jesus honored the traditions of his faith.

Spiritual discipline

Find a quiet place and enter a time of silence for 10 minutes. Attempt to let go of the trials of the moment – your to do list, your stressors at work or home, the pressing needs of family. Deliberately turn off your inner dialogue by acknowledging thoughts as they come to you, then letting them go. Breathe deeply and internalize whatever degree of silence you can attain. There is no pressure to receive insights or inspiration. Experiencing silence is sufficient.

Prayer

            Lord Jesus, it is finished. It has been a long, painful journey for you, but now your time on earth is done. Thank you, precious Lord, for taking that journey on my behalf. Amen.

This is the 46^th in a daily series titled The Stations of the Cross that will run through Easter 2026, at which time I will return to my weekly Life Notes. Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.