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“A much greater source of anxiety to Us is the style of action of those who maintain that liturgical worship should shed its sacred character, who foolishly say we should substitute for sacred items & furnishings ordinary common things in daily use.” —Pope Saint Paul VI (14 Oct 1968)

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Views from the Choir Loft

Craving the Body of Christ

Fr. David Friel · April 5, 2020

ACH year during Holy Week, I focus on a different character from the Passion narrative, trying to experience the whole of Holy Week through his or her eyes. Usually I let the Holy Spirit guide me in the selection process. Over the years, I have experienced Holy Week alongside John the Apostle, Mary, Simon of Cyrene, St. Dismas (the Good Thief), Mary Magdalene, the Roman soldiers, Pontius Pilate, Barabbas, Veronica, and others. Once or twice, I have repeated a character.

Whether you find that idea appealing or not, I have a recommendation for this year, when COVID-19 will prevent so many followers of Christ from attending public celebrations of this most sacred week.

My recommendation is to spend some time this week identifying with Joseph of Arimathea.

What do we know about Joseph of Arimathea? Frankly, not much. Like many other characters in the Gospels, what we know of Joseph of Arimathea is gleaned through snippets.

He was from a place called Arimathea, which was a town of Judah (Lk 23:51). He was evidently a wealthy man, since he could afford to have a new tomb hewn out of rock for himself (Mt 27:60). According to Luke’s description, he may have been a member of the Sanhedrin (Lk 23:50). He is, furthermore, described as “a disciple of Jesus,” but, notably, “a secret one, for fear of the Jews” (Jn 19:38). So he was a man of faith, but a man, in some ways, reticent in his faith.

Although we do not know a great deal about him, what we do know is very telling. Two matters stand out—two actions that Joseph of Arimathea undertook on the day of Christ’s crucifixion and that are worthy of our reflection today.

First, the Gospel of Luke records that Joseph of Arimathea “went to Pilate and asked for the Body of Jesus” (Lk 23:52). The word “asked” demands our attention. In Greek, it is a very strong word (ᾐτήσατο), a verb that can mean to ask, or beg, or desire, or crave, or even demand.

Imagine that: Joseph of Arimathea desired, even craved the body of Jesus.

The second major action he undertook that day is described by the Gospel of Matthew: “Joseph took the Body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed” (Mt 27:59-60). Had it not been for this one great gift, in which he gave our Lord a tomb, the name “Joseph of Arimathea” would have been forgotten centuries ago. On account of his generosity, however, he is well and favorably remembered.

It is significant that this was not just any tomb, but rather “a new tomb where no one had ever been laid” (Jn 19:41). The cultural norm of the time and place was to reuse burial places, which often took the form of hillside necropolises. As Bishop Sheen observed: “Born of a virgin womb, He was buried in a virgin tomb, and as Crashaw said: ‘And a Joseph did betroth them both’” (Life of Christ, Chapter 53).

By giving Jesus a tomb, of course, Joseph of Arimathea was not consigning Him to death. Although not yet possessing faith in the Resurrection, he unwittingly gave the Lord a place to come to life again.

There is a tremendous beauty in these two great acts of Joseph of Arimathea—the acts whereby he “asked for the Body of Jesus” and offered Him a tomb. In our own day, each one of us is called to repeat these same very acts.

The widespread lack of access to the Sacraments at present has already cultivated a sincere craving for the Body of Christ in the hearts of many of the faithful. Have these circumstances also prompted us to hew a new place in our hearts from which the Lord can come to life again?

Certainly, the present situation is far from ideal. Indeed, it is unlivable for any length of time. Lacking the power to alter our conditions, though, we might at least seek the graces that remain always on offer from the Lord.

I invite you to follow the sacred events of this Holy Week alongside Joseph of Arimathea. By sharing with him a deep craving for the Body of Christ, may we also be united with him in offering the Lord a place to rise up and stand forth and declare newness of life.


COVID-19 Pandemic Reflections

On Separation from the Sacraments:

• A Word of Encouragement
• Stories from Walter Ciszek, SJ
• Insights from Joseph of Arimathea

On Returning to the Sacraments:

• Insights from Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ
• Stories from Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

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Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: Coronavirus Pandemic, Holy Week Last Updated: May 28, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and serves as Director of Liturgy at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. —(Read full biography).

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President’s Corner

    Simplest “Agnus Dei” Ever Published
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. I needed a relatively simple “Agnus Dei,” so I composed this setting for organ & voice in honor of Saint René Goupil. It has been called the simplest setting ever composed. I love CARMEN GREGORIANUM (“Gregorian Chant”), especially the ALLELUIAS, INTROITS, and COMMUNION ANTIPHONS. That being said, some have pointed out that certain sections of the Kyriale aren’t as strong as the Graduale or Vesperale. There’s a reason for this—but it would be too complicated to explain at this moment.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
    Our choir is on break during the month of July. However, on the feasts website, the chants have been posted for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C), which is this coming Sunday: 6 July 2025.
    —Jeff Ostrowski
    Bugnini’s Statement (6 November 1966)
    With each passing day, more is revealed about how the enemies of the liturgy accomplished their goals. For instance, Hannibal Bugnini deeply resented the way Vatican II said Gregorian Chant “must be given first place in liturgical services.” On 6 November 1966, his cadre wrote a letter attempting to justify the elimination of Gregorian Chant with this brazen statement: “What really gives a Mass its tone is not so much the songs as it is the prayers and readings.” Bugnini’s cadre then attacked the very heart of Gregorian Chant (viz. the Proprium Missae), bemoaning how the Proprium Missae “is completely new each Sunday and feast day.” There is much more to be said about this topic. Stay tuned.
    —Jeff Ostrowski

Quick Thoughts

    Pope Pius XII Hymnal?
    Have you ever heard of the Pope Pius XII Hymnal? It’s a real book, published in the United States in 1959. Here’s a sample page so you can verify with your own eyes it existed.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    “Hybrid” Chant Notation?
    Over the years, many have tried to ‘simplify’ plainsong notation. The O’Fallon Propers attempted to simplify the notation—but ended up making matters worse. Dr. Karl Weinmann tried to do the same in the time of Pope Saint Pius X by replacing each porrectus. You can examine a specimen from his edition and see whether you agree he complicated matters. In particular, look at what he did with éxsules fílii Hévae.
    —Corpus Christi Watershed
    Antiphons Don’t Match?
    A reader wants to know why the Entrance and Communion antiphons in certain publications deviate from what’s prescribed by the GRADUALE ROMANUM published after Vatican II. Click here to read our answer. The short answer is: the Adalbert Propers were never intended to be sung. They were intended for private Masses only (or Masses without music). The “Graduale Parvum,” published by the John Henry Newman Institute of Liturgical Music in 2023, mostly uses the Adalbert Propers—but sometimes uses the GRADUALE text: e.g. Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June).
    —Corpus Christi Watershed

Random Quote

“Worse, composers are now setting the introits of the missal [instead of the Graduale] to music, even to chant, though these texts were explicitly for spoken recitation only.”

— ‘Dr. William Mahrt (Fall, 2015)’

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