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After Easter The Myrrh-Bearing Women - older sermon
After Easter The Myrrh-Bearing Women - older sermon
The Myrrh-Bearing Women - older sermon
Written by V. Rev. John Shandra | 
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Today, dear brothers and sisters, is the second Sunday after Resurrection of Christ and we are commemorating those women who served Christ in days of His preaching, and who came to His tomb after His burial. They loved Jesus Christ and they were not afraid of Jewish leaders, therefore, they followed Christ and were witnesses of His crucifixion. Many people were amazed by their love and compassion. The writers of the New Testament could not keep silence about it as well, because all Christ’s disciples had run away when their teacher was seized, but those women had remained with Him. St.John writes in his Gospel, “Standing by the Cross of Christ were His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene.”
These women were present when Jesus died and they came to His tomb on the first morning after Passover. They had brought ointment (aromatic spices) with them to anoint the Body of Jesus according to their custom. We have to remember that Jesus was crucified before the greatest Jewish feast and during His burial they did not have enough time to anoint the body, therefore, the women came afterwards. The myrrh-bearing women expected to see the closed tomb and, because of that, they were wandering who will open the entrance, who will roll away that heavy stone from the tomb of their teacher. But when they looked up, they saw that the grave was opened and when they stepped in they saw an angel who told them about Christ’s glorious resurrection. He said to them, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.”
Christ is Risen! The Holy myrrh-bearers brought this joyful tiding to the world. The Lord granted these pious women the joy of being the first to see the Risen Lord and to hear of His Resurrection from Angel because of their sorrow and love.
The Gospel reveals the special spiritual qualities of these women to us pointing out their great Christian virtues, and we can only respect the greatness of their act. The Holy myrrh-bearers followed the Savior constantly and faithfully, devoting their entire life to Him. They served the Lord with all they possessed. With their concerned hands they eased the weight associated with our Lord Jesus Christ’s constant travels as He spread the heavenly teachings. They abandoned their earthly cares and sacrificed themselves to Christ’s mission. It is very likely that jeers, malice, and spiteful words wounded their hearts more than once, but they did not tremble. With their firm faith, that did not doubt of falter, they consoled Christ the Savior in His grief over the hardheartedness of the Pharisees and Scribes.
The love of the myrrh-bearers for the Savior was whole, sincere, and profound. Such love, when it grows in the hearts of Christians, stimulates us to repeat the act performed by the myrrh-bearers and to imitate them.
By their self-sacrifice, the holy women demonstrated that true love is not a short-lived impulse of the heart. It is constant, firm and never lessens. It is constant in both joy and well-being, as well as of grief and tribulation.
Following the example set by the Holy myrrh-bearers, we also give our prayerful help to those who have departed from us, a help that the deceased expect from us, for they believed that their memory would not die in our hearts. They believed that our love for them which bound us together during life on earth, would endure beyond the limits of this life. Our love for those who have departed to the next world should be an effective love that is shown first and foremost in prayer.
Prayer penetrates Heaven, reaches the throne of God, and brings down the blessing of our Heavenly Father. The Bloodless Sacrifice offered up at Divine Liturgy bestows the Lord’s mercy to a greater extent upon the souls of the departed.
Nevertheless, we must always remember that the Gospel, which we heard today, also tells us something else. It speaks of an empty tomb -- of a Risen Christ. We proclaim “Christ crucified” and we also proclaim “Christ Risen!” Christ is risen and death and the power of Hell is overthrown -- trampled underfoot. Christ told His disciples that in the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
There is nothing for us to be afraid of. With courage, with faith, with joy, we can proclaim to the whole world that we are Christians, that we are followers of a crucified and humiliated Christ, yet, at the same time, of a Christ Who has triumphed over death and the fears of the world. Our King, as All-powerful, has risen from the grave by His own power!
Our fear is taken away. Truly we can live our lives as Christ Himself has commanded us, giving us through His Church the pathway to life.
Let all of us live our lives honorably and with piety, letting our lights shine before all men. And with joy and peace in our hearts pronounce those wonderful words: “Christ is Risen!” Amen.
