Nurses: The Modern Day Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus

The man responsible for providing Jesus’ tomb is known as Joseph of Arimathea.  He is thought to be a rich (secret) disciple of Jesus with some power in the religious ruling body for the Jews.  Nicodemus, a man most likely of similar status, assisted Joseph of Arimathea in the burial of Jesus on Good Friday evening. 

For impact, let’s imagine what the removal and burial of a crucifixion victim might look like.  After His long torturous death, Jesus is described in Isaiah as so disfigured as to no longer resemble a human being.  Now before Joseph and Nicodemus could anoint Jesus’ body, they would have to separate the sacred body from the cross.  This would involve climbing up said cross and reverse hammering the nails out of Jesus’s hands and feet.  To prevent the sacred body from collapsing to the ground, it would need to be fastened to the cross with linen.  I imagine this was not a “figure it out as you go” type of thing but a well-orchestrated operation.  It had to be a very solemn and reverent transition, with the Blessed Mother patiently awaiting to hold her son in her arms one last time. 

As I read about these events, I am continually met with chills thinking about the special souls blessed with the gift for handling death.  I know my daughter was not Jesus and her death was not malicious, yet I can’t help but observe some parallels in our stories.  Just as Joseph and Nicodemus so calmly and respectfully removed the body of Jesus from the cross, I remember sitting and watching as the nurses removed London’s body from her life support.  With little words and decisive actions, cords were cut, blood dripped, and a body was lifted.  Like Mary, I sat with blankets, ready to cradle my child in my arms one last time.  Mary would have held her son in her arms while she washed his body, tended his wounds, and kissed his face.  Likewise, I held London and kissed her head while we prepared for her leaving us by taking footprints and hand molds.  I imagine Mary watching as Joseph and Nicodemus carried Jesus’ body to the tomb, just as I watched a nurse carry London’s body away carefully snuggled in her arms.    

There is not doubt in my mind the hospital staff in the room with us that day walk in God’s favor.  They have been blessed with a gift more special than any other physical ability in this world.  We praise athletes like Patrick Mahomes for his outstanding athleticism, but there is no achievement greater than helping someone die with dignity.  Now their paychecks may not appropriately reflect that achievement, but I believe that God has paid them with something better than money.  Perhaps when you help a soul depart with grace, you get a glimpse of Jesus Himself.