#HolyWeek2021 – Good Friday Reflection 8: Jesus is Buried

We reach the conclusion of our Good Friday reflections. We continue in the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 23, as Jesus is taken down from the cross, and is buried:

⁵⁰Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, ⁵¹who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵²Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no-one had yet been laid. ⁵⁴It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

⁵⁵The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. ⁵⁶Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

It is often the case that, in the face of death, words are inadequate. That is certainly the case here, for Jesus’ death was so remarkable, and carry so many consequences, that it is difficult to sum this up in a short reflection.

Needless to say, Jesus death was a monumental moment in human history: the point at which God’s promise to save us from the consequences of sin were realised, in a spectacular way. The death of Jesus is a tragedy, in that it shows humanity at it’s worst: it show us the result of our rejection of God. Yet, the death of Jesus was a necessary tragedy, in that without it, we could not be saved.

Take a moment and reflect on this simple question: what does the death of Jesus mean to me?

If you are taking part in building a Holy Week display, today’s symbol is a cross or crown of thorns. This could be an actual object, or one you’ve drawn. Add this to your display, as a reminder of Jesus’ death.

This concludes our Good Friday reflections. This does not mean that Jesus’ journey is over. The Holy Week journey continues tomorrow, so please join us for that. To conclude, let us share in a prayer:

Dear God: thank you for the sacrifice Jesus was willing to make on our behalf. We are sorry for the part we play, that our actions are what made that sacrifice necessary. Help us to experience both the grief and joy which comes from Jesus’ death. Help us to appreciate all the more what You, through Christ, have done for us. We pray this in Jesus’ name; Amen.