On the reverent burial of the Lord Jesus
On the reverent burial of the Lord Jesus
LORD JESUS CHRIST, Essence of life and the Radiance of everlasting life, I bless and thank you for the attentive anointing of your body with precious aromatic spices. Though this was not necessary to stave off your body’s corruption, it was, nevertheless, most acceptable to you because your faithful friends did it out of love and because it was done in accordance with Jewish custom, for we read that there were patriarchs and kings who were so anointed before burial.
I praise and glorify you for the meticulous wrapping of your sacred body in a spotless shroud as well as for the careful covering of your sacred head with a pure white napkin, later found in the holy sepulcher.
I praise and glorify you for your being carried amid tears to the place of burial, for your being reverently lowered and humbly positioned in a new tomb that was hewn out of a rock and given you by Joseph, the distinguished senator. Since the hour was then growing late, you were honorably buried there with much wailing and securely closed within by a huge stone.
Venerable Joseph, rejoice because the task you accomplished was most holy and gave you the opportunity to express your unspeakable love for Christ. Indeed, I am most grateful to you and I laudably commend your noble character in doing what you have done and for carrying it out in a most dignified and deferential manner. Not only did you request Pilate’s permission to bury Jesus’ body, but you also offered your own sepulcher, which you had prepared for yourself and in which you expected to be placed after your own death.
How greatly God must have cherished you, for him, whose power extends over the entire world and over all that is contained in the heavenly orbits, to choose to be buried in your tomb, rather than in any other place on earth. Most illustrious of men, I tell you that as long as this world lasts and there are faithful on the earth, you will be held in honor before God and men.
This sacred sepulcher will become more glorious and celebrated than those of saints and kings and will be spoken of as being the most acclaimed in all the world. From all the corners of the earth countless pilgrims will come to this holy place to worship at the very spot where the Lord’s body once rested. Here Jesus was placed and here the Crucified was buried. Here the women mourned him and here the soldiers were set to guard him. Here Christ rose on the third day and Mary Magdalen saw him and here the heavenly angel of the Lord appeared. And here, those guarding the tomb were terrified and became as dead men.
And you, my soul, remain here at the tomb for a little while and join the women in mourning the Lord Jesus, who was buried for you. It is only fitting that you lament him, from whom you desire to receive the reward of eternal joy.
Consider how dolefully all of Christ’s friends grieved for him, especially the holy women, and particularly when he was taken from them and when they saw him sealed in the sepulcher. It was because of their love for him that they had set all things aside and followed him far and wide throughout that land, and it was to him that they so generously ministered from their own means. It was because they were so devoted to him that they could not endure being separated from his comforting presence, not even for a short time. It was with him that they desired to spend their lives and engage in holy conversation, and it was because of him that they believed that they could be forever blessed. The more intense the love, the more bitter the grief!
The affliction that these women suffered more than any other was that their hope of having Jesus rise again now seemed taken from them. Their faith was, somehow, buried along with Jesus in the tomb. The only consolation left to these poor dejected women was, so they thought, to mourn the dead Jesus or to begin preparing the spices for his body. If they were unable to bring him back to life again, at least they might, by assiduous anointing, keep his body from corrupting.
O you holy and pious women, whose love for Christ is without end, do not lament excessively and do not yield to despair. Recall Jesus’ words, which he himself spoke, and wait a bit longer, for after three days he will undoubtedly rise. You, who now lament him who was buried in pain and sadness, will see him in all his brilliance, and your hearts will again overflow with happiness. His friends, now extremely saddened over his death and burial, will experience a newfound joy. Jesus will no longer have any need of your anointing because risen from the dead he will appear in absolute glory; he will be clothed in the robe of immortality and death will no longer have any power over him.
And you, learn from Jesus’ burial to think profitably about your own body’s demise. It is necessary to commit to earth, whatever is received from it; You are dust and unto dust you will return.1 What do you have to be proud about, when you will soon be the object of decay and will have to be covered with earth? What are you looking for in this world, you who are soon to be cast out of it and trodden underfoot by men?
When you come upon the graves of the dead, remember that you will soon be joining them. That is the designated home for all the living. There the rich man and the poor man will be stretched out on a common bed and both will be content with only a small patch of earth. No distinction will be made there between the nobleman and the commoner, and the weak will no longer be stomped upon by the more powerful. There the miser will no longer benefit from his money, nor will the clever profit from his cunning. There the prim will become the food of worms, and the dandy will give off an offensive odor. And those who have placed themselves on pedestals will be brought low and the praise that the proud were accustomed to will no longer be theirs. Take notice how all mortals tend toward nothing and how all flesh, made corrupt by sin, returns to its original source.
Therefore, strive so to live and through the spirit to mortify your flesh, that when your body turns into dust your soul will be judged worthy to rest in blessed peace. If you live your life in labor and sorrow on a Good Friday, you will have a restful Holy Saturday and then a most joyful Easter Sunday, the day of the resurrection of the just.
The more austerely you live in the world, so much more tranquil will be your repose in the grave. The more firmly you cling to the Cross, so much more assurance you have of reaching Christ. The more bitterly you deplore your sins, so much less will remain to be purged by the avenging flames. So lament during this time of grace, when the doors of mercy are open, and when God, in whom there is abundant redemption, accepts your repentance. Mourn also the wretched condition of the world and the incredible indifference of men. Only a few are found today to be true followers of the Crucified, and many permit their original spiritual fervor to grow cold.
Let meditating on Jesus Christ and him crucified be your daily prayer. Keep Jesus always before your eyes and keep ever near the foot of his Cross. Whether in life or in death, enter the tomb with Jesus so that when Christ, who is your life, shall appear again, you will rise with him in glory. Amen.