Church Bulletin - April 29, 2001 - Sunday of Myrrhbearers

The Holy Myrrh-Bearers: A Lesson in Loyalty
The Holy Myrrh-Bearers

Sunday of Myrrhbearers - April 29, 2001
[ Click here for the Bible readings: Acts 6:1-7; Mk 15:43-16:8 ]

"THE HOLY MYRRH-BEARERS: A LESSON IN LOYALTY"

It was with heavy hearts that a faithful group of women arose before dawn and went to the tomb of Christ. It was the third day since the crucifixion of their Master. The late hour of His death and the ensuing Sabbath prevented Christ's followers from properly preparing His Body for burial. As the sun rose on the "first day of the week," the Myrrh-bearers ventured out to complete their sorrowful task.

St. Mark's Gospel relates a question pondered by Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James: "WHO WILL ROLL AWAY THE STONE FOR US?" Indeed, a challenge awaited them. Furthermore, the holy women must have wondered how they would convince the Roman guards that they needed to anoint the Lord's lifeless Body to satisfy the laws of ritual of their Faith.

When they arrived at Christ's tomb, the Myrrh-bearing Women discovered that they needn't have worried about boulders or guards. The tomb was empty! Jesus had risen! These women - and several others like them - had been loyal and devoted to Christ throughout His public ministry. They accompanied Him all over Galilee, ministering to Him in whatever way they could. For their faithful service, they Myrrh-bearing Women received the greatest possible reward: they were the first witnesses to the Resurrection. How their hearts must have filled with joy as they heard the words of the angel: "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him." (Mark 16:6)

The Myrrh-bearing Women are commemorated annually by our Holy Orthodox Church on the Third Sunday of Pascha.

Special Message for the day...

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to his sepulcher, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to anoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known from the Gospel are the following: the most holy Virgin Mary; Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus and Susanna.

Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Savior, Joseph and Nicodemus. Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Savior's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. He brought some 100 pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, a wealthy and noble man from Arimathea, had boldly gone unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial and placed the Lord's body in his own tomb (Matthew 26:60)

RESURRECTION APOLYTIKION

When you descended to death, O immortal life, then the light of Your divinity destroyed Hades. When You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out, "Glory to You, O Christ our God, the Giver of life."

APOLYTIKION OF THE FEAST DAY

Lowering Your pure body from the Cross, the noble Joseph wrapped it in clean muslin, with fragrant spices, and laid it in a new tomb, but on the third day You rose. O Lord, granting the world great mercy.

Standing by the tomb, the angel said to the myrrh-bearing women, "Myrrh is for the dead; but Christ has proved Himself alien to death, therefore cry out, "The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy."

APOLYTIKION OF SAINT NICHOLAS

An example of Faith and a life of humility, as a teacher of abstinence you did inspire and lead your flock and through your truthfulness of your deeds were exalted by greatness through your humility uplifting all and by poverty gaining wealth. Father and hierarch Nicholas intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

KONTAKION

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and rose the victor, Christ God. To the myrrh-bearing women, saying "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You are He Who raised up the fallen.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
1260 Davis Street, San Jose, California 95126