The Holy Church of Christ glorifies [today] …especially dear to Christians – the Myrrh-bearing Women—those blessed companions of Christ who served the Teacher not only with their possessions, but also with the labor of their hands. Devoted to Him with all their hearts, they suffered with the Lord, remaining near Him not only during His travels, but also along the path to the Cross—on Golgotha, at the very foot of the Cross. The remembrance of their self-sacrifice, their labors, and their incomparable and tender love for Christ fills the hearts of the faithful with that same love for the Lord and a fervent desire to serve Him unto death.
(Hieromartyr Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov))
Christ is risen!
Today is a feast of unconditional and sacrificial love for Christ.
We have heard in the Gospel that Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member (member of synedrion) who himself was awaiting the kingdom of God, dared to address Pilate and ask for the body of Jesus.
Joseph was a secret disciple of Christ, one of those Jewish leaders who believed in Him, but were afraid to confess their faith. And so, he managed to overcome fear for the love of Christ.
He dares to come to Pilate. And Pilate was surprised to hear that Christ had already died (one of the first glimpses of faith in pagans…), and he called the centurion (of whom we know, that he really had faith), asked him how soon He had died. And, having learned this from the centurion, he permitted Joseph to take His body.
Then Joseph bought the shroud and wrapped it around the body of Christ, and laid it in the tomb, which he had previously carved in the rock for himself. (isn’t it symbolic!)
While the righteous Joseph and Nicodemus were burying the body of the Savior, the holy myrrh-bearing women were also at the tomb. They understood well that the Pharisees and high priests, having killed Christ, would also persecute those who remained faithful to Him.
But the love is as strong as the death, as the Scripture says (Song of Solomon 8:6).
Love is not thinking of risks: they regretted that the burial was carried out in a hurry and not everything could be done properly. Did anyone rebuke them of this, except their love…?
It was a custom among the Jews to anoint the body of the deceased with an oil, special oil – which is called myrrh — and this was not done by the righteous Joseph and Nicodemus.
And the Gospel says that on the first day of the week after the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and Maria of Jacob and Salomia bought those fragrant oils to anoint Him. And early in the morning, at sunrise, they were approaching the sepulcher saying among themselves: who will roll away a stone for us from the door of the sepulcher? They were so eager to do whatever they could for Christ, that they did not think at all about the difficulties and that they would not be able to go inside the tomb.
And so, having looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away, though it was very large. Then they went into the tomb and saw an angel as a young man dressed in white clothing. And he said to them: Do not be afraid. Jesus is risen, He is not here. This is the place where He was laid. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He precedes you in Galilee; there you will see Him, as He had told you.
Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies, says the Scripture again (1 Cor. 8:1).
In these Easter days at the Divine Service, we hear the words every day: We have seen the resurrection of Christ, and let us worship the holy Lord Jesus. On behalf of the whole Church, they are sung, but they are fulfilled in the lives of those who love Christ. Like the Myrrh-Bearing women that were given blessings that no one else received, because love appeared to be stronger than death.
Not the Apostles, who knew and saw most of all, became the first witnesses of the Resurrection, but the first to know about him were those who showed more love and fidelity to Christ.
One who loves Christ, is the one who does not collapse if others do not approve of this. This is the one, who steps over his «I» (his self-esteem), over everything «I want» and «I do not want», for the sake of the will of God, not because it must always be pleasant to us, but because it is God’s good will.
May this bright day be our joyful feast. To make this happen, let us join the Myrrh-bearing women and bring to Christ all the love that we are capable of. Amen.
Christ is risen!
(after a homily by priest Mikhail Nemnonov)