Mark 15:40-47: a reflection

40There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 41who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. 42When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for God’s Kingdom, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus’ body. 44Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long. 45When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid.

After Jesus dies, when most of his disciples have fled and scattered, some step forward. Faithful women who had followed and served Jesus watch from a distance, refusing to abandon him even in death. And Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the council, who had been a secret follower, does something bold: he goes openly to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus, then takes it down, wraps it, and lays it in his own tomb. At the moment when identifying with Jesus was most dangerous, when others had fled, Joseph stepped forward publicly.

Notice Joseph's courage at the crucial, dangerous moment. He had been a secret disciple, but now, when Jesus was condemned and crucified, when association with him was most costly and dangerous, and when the other disciples had fled, Joseph came out into the open, boldly claiming the body, publicly identifying himself with the crucified Jesus. It was a costly, courageous step, taken precisely when it was hardest.

That is a challenging example of courage. It is easy to follow Jesus quietly, secretly, when it costs little; harder to step forward and identify with him openly when it is costly or dangerous, when others are falling away. Joseph found the courage to step forward at the very moment it was hardest. When identifying with Christ is costly, when others are scattering or falling away, when it would be easier to stay hidden, remember Joseph of Arimathea, who stepped forward boldly when it counted. Ask God for the courage to identify with Christ openly, even when it is costly, even when others fall away, and to step forward for him at the very moments it is hardest to do so.

Lord, after your death, when most of your disciples had fled, faithful women watched from afar, and Joseph of Arimathea boldly went to Pilate to claim your body and bury it, stepping forward publicly at the very moment it was most dangerous to identify with you. Give me that courage. It is easy to follow you quietly when it costs little, but harder to step forward and identify with you openly when it is costly or dangerous, when others are falling away. Joseph found the courage to step forward when it was hardest. When identifying with you is costly, when others scatter, when it would be easier to stay hidden, help me remember Joseph, who stepped forward boldly when it counted. Give me the courage to identify with you openly, even at cost, even when others fall away, and to stand for you at the very moments it is hardest.