When considering the designs of our Lord’s providence, the person of Joseph of Arimathea strikes me every year during Passiontide and Easter and how he is similar to St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Mother.
– In Sacred Scripture, Joseph of Arimathea is called “righteous”, which in Greek is “dikaios,” in Luke 23:50. In Matthew 1:19, the same term is used of St. Joseph.
– Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Joseph of Arimathea stepped forward to receive the Body of Jesus, and revered His Body in the preparations that were made for His burial, including receiving the myrrh from the wise man Nicodemus. In a similar way, St. Joseph, inspired by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, came forward to receive and care for the Body of the child Jesus and to receive the myrrh from the wise man in preparation for His burial years later.
– Both Joseph of Arimathea and St. Joseph risked their lives with Roman authorities (Herod and Pilate) in taking care of Jesus.
– Joseph of Arimathea provided a dwelling place for Jesus for three days within his own tomb. St. Joseph provided a home for Jesus to dwell as an infant and boy, and also cared for the Blessed Mother as a dwelling place for Jesus.
– Because St. Joseph died years earlier and was not there when Jesus died upon the cross, I would propose that the Lord inspired another man named Joseph, Joseph of Arimathea, to come forward and be a father figure to care for Jesus’ Body and provide his own tomb for him to be buried. Have we ever stopped to consider this reality? The greatest event in history, the Resurrection of Jesus, occurred in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.
Joseph of Arimathea allowed the Holy Spirit to prompt him and look what resulted from his obedience. What will happen in our lives when we pray – listening closely to the promptings of the Spirit?
Blessed Holy Saturday and Easter!