Confirming (phase 3) - Waiting at the Tomb (step 27) - session 1

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathe'a, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulchre. 

Next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, `After three days I will rise again.'  Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, `He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first." 

Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." 

So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. - Mt 27:57-66

I am struck by the faithful, devoted love of Joseph, Mary and Mary (presumably the wife of Clopas; I can't believe Matthew would refer to Jesus' mother as "the other Mary").

This step provides for a day of quiet reflection, and it will be worth spending a little time today thinking about the significance of this past week, which was probably my most focused Holy Week ever. But that has to make an ongoing difference of continued growth in holiness and devotion, and I know from experience that while that can't come from me, it will require my ongoing dedicated cooperation and participation.