Ansai leads both Morning and Evening Prayer this week. Today’s Morning Prayer – Ansai considers a passage from Luke’s gospel, chapter 23 verses 44 to 56a. This scripture describes Jesus’ death on the cross; “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.” This passage also reflects on Joseph of Arimathea’s courage in asking the Roman Prefect of Judea, Pilate, to return the body of Jesus to him.