past and a holy evening stillness surrounds
us."

Mary said, "O, my friends! What my Jesus suffered this mother's heart
suffered with him. Now he has finished his work and entered into the
rest of his Father. Peace also and trust from Heaven fills my soul."

Mary Magdalene comforted her, saying, "He is not taken from us forever;
that he promised."

"O, noble men," said Mary to Joseph and Nicodemus, "make haste and
bring me the body of my beloved son."

The Magdalene said, "Mother, wilt thou not rest a little here, while we
prepare his resting place?" Then seating herself on a stone a little
to the right of the cross, Mary waited while her friends made ready to
receive the body of Jesus.

"Come, my companions," said Salome, "and help me to prepare the winding
sheet to receive the body." They spread the linen on the ground at
Mary's feet, placing one end upon her lap.

By this time Nicodemus had extracted the second nail which was in his
left hand, and Joseph had taken the nail from the feet of Jesus. Then
Simon and Lazarus, holding the ends of the linen roll, slowly lowered
the body into the arms of Joseph of Arimathea.

"O, come," said Joseph, "thou sweet and holy burden; let me take thee
upon my shoulders." Then with the body of Jesus resting upon his
shoulders Joseph began to descend the ladder.

Nicodemus had already come down and awaited him at the foot of the
cross. Spreading out his arms to receive the body of Jesus, he said,
"Come thou holy body of my only friend, let me embrace thee." Then
they carried the body of Jesus and placed it on the linen winding sheet
that was prepared for it on his mother's lap. Nicodemus, looking at
his wounds sighed, "How the rage of thy enemies hath torn thy flesh."

"Now," said John, "the best of sons rests once more on the bosom of the
best of mothers."

Mary looked down upon the pale, blood-spotted face of Jesus, and then
sighing heavily she said, "O, my Son, how is thy body covered with
wounds!"

"Mother," said John, "from these wounds flowed salvation and blessing
for mankind."

"See, mother," said the Magdalene, who stood on her right hand, "how
the peace of heaven rests in death upon his face."

Then said Nicodemus who had brought some ointment, "Let us anoint him
and then wrap him in this new linen." He then poured the ointment into
all the wounds on the body of Jesus.

"He shall be laid," said Joseph of Arimathea, "in my new grave which I
have