When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, 'After three days I will rise again.' Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last deception would be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

I see at work in this text two emotions - love and fear. Joseph displayed care and concern. He wanted to see that Jesus' body was given an appropriate burial. Mary Magdalene watched and waited because she loved Jesus. She had been forgiven much and had become a devoted follower. In contrast the chief priests and Pharisees acted out of fear. They were afraid of losing their positions of power and prestige. Making sure that the burial tomb was sealed and guarded was the solution to keeping Jesus "buried."

Fear and love are powerful motivation today. There is much debate about sealing and guarding U.S. borders as a solution to illegal immigration. Homeland security has a basis in the fear of terrorist acts. Love enables us to overcome our fears, welcome the stranger, and share our blessings with others.