We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. (Matthew 27: 57-60)
Reflection
Has anyone ever taught you how to fail? Do we know what to do when our hopes seem to be shattered by life?
Some autistic people are very successful academically. Most know a great deal about the topics that grab our interest and stimulate our wonder. In these areas, no one can touch us.
Life, however, is larger than our interests, and larger than academics. We soon encounter areas where we feel overwhelmed, not knowing at all how to act or how to understand what the rules and expectations are. We are bound to get it wrong, even with our most sincere efforts.
Because of this, many of us on the spectrum are especially vulnerable to depression and to the temptation to despair. We feel that we can’t fit in. We can’t succeed socially. We can’t find good friends who support and understand us. We may struggle in the workplace. We may have dreams but may have little sense of how to achieve them.
We look to Joseph of Arimathea and his role in the burial of Jesus. Joseph is a disciple of Jesus. How his faith must have been tested by Jesus’ death on the Cross! He could have given up. Yet, at a time when everything looked darkest and stepping forward was dangerous, Joseph keeps going. He does what he can. He asks Pilate for Jesus’ body, and buries Jesus’ body in his own tomb. Joseph may not know what will happen next. He simply sees how he can help and takes the next step in faith – in a faith that will not be stifled completely by what appears to be failure. Joseph buries Jesus’ body and waits in hope.
This is what we can do when our feeling of failure weighs down upon us and threatens to sink us. We pray for the grace to have faith, hope and love. We pray for strength to keep going. We ask for guidance as to what good we can do now and do it. We place the rest in God’s loving hands. We know that God has promised an abundance of grace to all who say yes to Him. So, we do what we can, and live in hope. Like Joseph of Arimathea, like Mary, like the other disciples, we wait. We have tasted death. We will soon taste Life.
Prayer
Father of mercy,
grant us Your strength and wisdom,
that we may follow you in all things.
When we experience failure and taste death,
may Your promise of abundant life, love and joy
be our hope as we walk on our journey in You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.