Joseph of Arimathea is a quiet favorite of mine among the calendar of saints. His feast day is August 1 for us, and he is remembered on July 31 by the Orthodox and Lutherans and August 30 by Roman Catholics.
We know little about Joseph from the Gospels other than that he was a “secret follower” of Jesus and a dissenting member of the religious council that condemned Jesus. After Jesus’ death, all four gospels tell us that he took the body of Jesus to bury in a tomb, most likely his own tomb that he had prepared for himself.
The first thing that captures me is Joseph’s act of compassion in providing a dignified burial for a man condemned and executed as a traitor and blasphemer. Compassion is the hallmark of Jesus’ ministry, and Joseph modeled that in return for his savior.
The Episcopal Church embodied this compassion in many communities by being willing to provide funerals and burials for anybody. Church of the Transfiguration (The Little Church around the Corner), near Times Square in Manhattan, is one of those churches. They would often hold funerals for actors (not always a respected profession) who were scorned by other churches.
Another part of Joseph that captures me is that he was a “quiet follower” or “secret follower” of Jesus. It reminds me that there are many who are very quiet and personal about their faith. They may not be the first to sign up for Bible Study or hold long conversations on the spiritual life. They may find contemplating stained glass windows more edifying than most sermons! They still love God and seek to live holy lives that reflect God’s grace and compassion. It is a reminder that we all practice our faith and spirituality in different ways. Actions generally preach more loudly than words.
Finally, it is that act of selfless generosity to ease the suffering of another - giving of his own wealth and property in a time of great fear and doubt and in a way that could cause others to question whether he was supporting the “right people.” Joseph trusted that faith and compassionate living would make a difference. By living out that faith, he became an integral part to the salvation story and provided the location for the site of the Resurrection.
After the canon of Scripture was closed, Christians continued to reflect on Joseph’s place in our faith story. He came from a village where his wealth meant he was sea trader and a merchant. From there, legends arose that he visited Britain and brought the Holy Grail (the chalice from the Last Supper) to Glastonbury. Some of these reflections are fantastical. Others are plausible. But the core of Joseph’s story is his quiet, gentle, loving service to God.
In my last congregation, we named our buildings and grounds maintenance and clean-up day ministries "Joseph's Crew" to honor Jospeh and reflect his love and care for Jesus.
How might God use our quiet faith, our acts of compassion, our generosity to raise up new life? St. Peter’s is filled with such witnesses to me, which is part of our charism - our gift - in taking part in God’s healing work in this world.
Blessings Always!
Dirk+