And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which  he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

- Matthew 27:55-66

In our readings, it is Holy Week, and Jesus is in Jerusalem.  He has been sent to Pilate after being condemned by the Council.  Pilate has offered to the crowd to release Jesus as it is the time of the Passover Feast, but the crowd preferred Barabbas.   Jesus has been sent for crucifixion, scourged, and mocked by the soldiers, nailed to the Cross and reviled by all.  Yesterday, we read that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, thy feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Watching the Crucifixion from afar, there are those who do not revile but love Jesus.  These are the ministering women who will continue to minister in their love for Christ.  Mary the mother of James and Joses is  identified by many Church Fathers as the Virgin Mary,  in the Eastern tradition she is the stepmother of James and Joses (see 13:55).

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which  he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   Joseph of Arimathea is a rich man and a member of the Council.  It is a very bold public act for this man to request Jesus' body.  My study bible says that Joseph's act shows that his faith as overcome any fear.  Jesus is buried in a new tomb; there will be no suspicion that any other is in this tomb.  Here is another act of love for Jesus by someone who loves Him.   The two women remain outside the tomb.

On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  The great fear of the leadership is Jesus' promise that He will rise as He promised.  By preparing a secure tomb and setting a guard, they assure, in fact, that Jesus' Resurrection will be understood clearly by the faithful.

The agony of the Crucifixion is finished, and these events after Jesus' passing have a strangely calm and calming quality to them.  But these are great, heroic acts of faith performed by Joseph of Arimathea and these ministering women.  St. Chrysostom praises the women, and says that it is they who teach men how to act with courage.  He writes:  "The sex most likely to be disparaged was first to enjoy the sight of his resurrected blessings. They most steadily showed their courage. Even when the disciples had fled in the darkness, these women were still present."  They continue to fulfill their roles as followers of Christ, and as ministers to Him.  Joseph of Arimathea was a member of the Council, and as such acts with tremendous boldness.  Not only is he defying the Council and its ruling by honoring Christ with this tomb, but going to Pilate publicly and asking for the body of a crucified Man is an extremely remarkable thing to do for a wealthy man of position.  He risks losing so much by doing so.   This is how we understand his tremendous act of faith.  The tomb is new, and Jesus is wrapped in a clean linen cloth.  These are great acts of reverence and honor.  The new tomb hewn from stone is one that is very costly, and it is dedicated entirely to Jesus.  Joseph's act will ensure there is no one else who rises from that tomb.   And once again it is the women who keep watch outside the tomb.  They are following, we could say, Jesus' final admonition to "watch and pray."  Where are the disciples?  These ministering to Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea and the women, truly do give us what it is to minister.  They are like a merciful balm on the indefensible wounds given to Christ.  And such people in our own lives are like a merciful balm in a world of hurt.  Let us never forget what it is to minister, to succor, especially in times of alienation and abandonment.  We are the ones who are to carry on their tradition, their great and courageous example of giving aid to the abandoned and destitute - those unjustly shamed and outcast.  They teach us not to follow the crowds, but to keep in mind at all times where our real loyalty lies, and in Whom we take our true identity and meaning in life.   He taught that when we do the same for the least of these my brethren, we do it for Him.  Let us never forget His words.  His last command to the disciples was "watch and pay, lest you enter into temptation."  That remains our command, so that we, too, understand where we are to be, even if the world cries harm to those who are innocent.