Nicole Starr
Jesus is dead. Amid their grief, two of his disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, bury Jesus. They remove his battered body from the cross, wrap him with spices in linen cloths, and place him in an empty tomb never expecting to see him again. It is in this space between death and new life that we find ourselves as we await Christ’s rising on the third day.
And no matter how many times I hear this story, I find myself remembering the first time Jesus met Nicodemus. Coming to him by night, Nicodemus asked Jesus how someone could be born again. Yet, in our reading for today, we find God working through Nicodemus and doing so when Nicodemus and the entire world believe there is no hope left.
Therefore, we can confidently proclaim that even in the overwhelming darkness of there is light. After all, in the midst of the darkness, Jesus descended to the dead. And as one priest memorably witnessed, he went there (in part) to find his friend Judas. For no matter what we have done, God is with us and raising us to new life.
May we live our lives responsively to this abundant grace.
Nicole Starr serves as a lector, usher, and acolyte. She is a student at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and became a Postulant for Holy Orders in November.
