Reflection: The soldiers, the religious leaders, and other onlookers have drifted away. The circus is over! The legs of the thieves who were crucified with Jesus have been broken. The side of Jesus has been pierced with a lance. Mary, John, and the women still stand there. Who will help them?
It is a man named Joseph who comes up that hill. He respectfully tells Mary that he has made all the arrangements for the burial. The body is lifted from the cross, and laid in the arms of Mary. For a few moments Mary is young again, a new mother receiving from Joseph the newborn child. She closes her eyes and softly hums a lullaby, gently rocking the body of her dead son. |