Again, they descry in the distance the forms of other persons who are approaching them; these were Joseph of Ari-mathsea and Nicodemus, bringing with them others, bearing tools, by which they might take down the Body from the Cross ; and carrying with them a hundred pounds* weight of myrrh and aloes, for they were coming to bury our Lord. Then they all rise up once more in great terror. O God, what affliction do they endure this day ! But John, looking round, recognized Joseph and Nicodemus. Then the Blessed Virgin, recovering strength, says, “Blessed be our God, Who sends us help ; He has been mindful of us, and has not deserted us. Run, my son, to meet them.** Then John ran to meet them, and upon reaching them, they embrace each other with great weeping, being unable for an hour to hold any converse, from their deep compassion, and excess of grief and weeping : afterwards they come in front of the Cross. Joseph makes inquiries about the companions of the Blessed Virgin, and of what has become of the other disciples. And he replies, that he does not know where the disciples are, and that they had not been there that day. He further asked what had been done to our Lord, and John described all that had taken place. But when they came to the foot of the Cross, they bent the knee and worshipped our Lord. Then approaching the Blessed Mother and her companions, they were reverently received with appropriate gestures, bending to the ground, and continuing together in silence for a long while. At length, perhaps, the Virgin spake, saying, “You do well in remembering your Master, Who loved you so greatly ; and I confess that your arrival has given me new light, for we knew not what to do. May the Lord reward you !” Then they answered, “We grieve with our whole heart for all that has been done against Him. For the wicked have overwhelmed the Just One ; gladly would we have delivered Him out of their hands, had we been able. This little service, at least, we will render to our Lord and Master.” Whereupon they arose, and made ready to take down the Body of Jesus.
But do you, as I have so often enjoined, with diligence and fixity of gaze, watch the mode of taking down the Body of Christ. Two ladders, we may assume, are placed on the opposite sides of the Cross. Joseph ascends one of the ladders and tries to draw out the nail from Christ’s Hand. But this it is difficult to do, because the nail is thick and long, and deeply imbedded in the wood, and without greatly bruising the hand of our Lord it does not seem able to be done. But he would employ no rude force, for he acted reverently, and thus our Lord graciously accepted his service. As soon as one was drawn out, John, it may be, made signs to Joseph that he should pass to him the nail, anxious to save the Blessed Virgin Mother the pain of seeing it. Then Nicodemus extracted the other nail, and gave it in the same way to John. Then Nicodemus came down and came to the nail in His Feet : Joseph meanwhile upholding the Body of our Lord. Happy, indeed, he who is thus privileged ! Then, perchance, the Virgin reverently took the Right Hand as it hung down, and pressed it to her mouth, contemplating it and kissing it with strong crying and dolorous sighs. The nail in the Feet having been drawn out, Joseph descended a little, and all receive the Body of the Lord, and lay It on the ground. His mother receives His Sacred Head and rests It on her bosom, and Magdalen His feet — those Feet, at which she once found such grace ! Others stand around ; all make great mourning over Him, for their mourning is most bitter, as that of one who mourneth for his only son.