Week of the Myrrh-bearing Womwn

Today we heard the Gospel about the burial by Joseph of Arimathaea of the dead and life-bearing body of Christ, about the myrrh-bearing women’s coming to the body with perfumes for anointment of the body of Christ and of joyous annunciation to them by an Angel, sitting on the tomb of Christ, of the resurrection of Christ.

From today’s Gospel anyone can take a lesson, be it a man, or a woman, rich or poor, noble or simple. Rich and noble Joseph the pious can serve as a good example of faith and eagerness toward Christ for all the rich and noble, who can even today, make evident, in different ways, can prove, their faith and their eagerness toward Christ spiritually or materially, and even though not to Him personally, but to His members, His younger brethren, the poor and the destitute, the sick and the ailing, submerged in darkness and vices, dying in squalor and penury; and the myrrh-bearers serve as a good example of eagerness and ardent love toward Christ for all women, who even today can in different ways, according to their strength, means and circumstances express their ardent love toward Christ, dead and then resurrected, with different virtues, for example: compassion to and commiseration with those who mourn, fidelity in regard to their Christian and family duties, mercy toward the poor, and so on.

Joseph with Nicodemus, a chief of Jews, and the myrrh-bearing women have served Christ only for a short time and have inherited the eternal life, eternal blessedness for their little labors, and – are glorified forever on earth for their eagerness and love toward Christ. Such is the strength and glory of the virtue! It lives on forever, and forever it is glorified, whereas the vice and unrepentant iniquity is handed over to eternal torment and to eternal infamy and damnation. Example – Judas the traitor who, because of love of money, has betrayed his Lord to the iniquitous and ungrateful Jews; then, the the high priests, chiefs and learned elders of Zion, – scribes and Pharisees.

Oh, preposterous love of money, which has corrupted and destroyed the soul of the former disciple of Christ and a miracle-worker! Oh, blind envy  and hate of the chiefs and learned elders of Zion, who have not recognized the Lord of Glory and who delivered the greatest Benefactor to horrible sufferings and death, most torturous and ignominious! Oh, beloved, compassionate and appreciating souls of Joseph, Nicodemus and holy women! With what love have you served the Stranger, Who came to His own and was not accepted by His own, Lord, Son of the Father Who has no beginning, who has created all and who governs all and who, in His unfathomable mercy has desired to save all! Indeed, you are justly glorified by the Holy Church unto the ages! With love and amazement you are remembered by all the pious Christians of all times and, certainly, will be commemorated and glorified until the end of the world. Let us do, brethren and sisters, good to all men, until there is time ¹),  and we can do it and, by all means, avoid the dishonorable, shameful sins and passions, which dishonor and ruin us forever. Let us love Christ, as He has loved us, – let us love one another. Amen.