PASCHA 3. THE HOLY MYRRH BEARERS.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, One God. Amen. At first glance the Orthodox Church looks very much like a man’s world. Our church is led by Patriarchs and Bishops ordained in a male line of succession going back to the first Apostles. The Orthodox Church ordains to the priesthood only men.

But today - the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing women - our Church insists that we remember certain very brave women, who were among the first followers of Christ.

Who are these women ? The Gospel records their names. They are Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Salome, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Susanna, Mary and Martha of Bethany, and Mary the Mother of God.

These are women of 2,000 years ago. Women of the Middle East in the first century, AD. At that time and in that place the role of women was very different to the role of modern women in England today. A woman’s place then was in the home. And only in the home.

1 The only role for a woman was cooking and cleaning, raising children, mending clothes and obeying her husband. In the Jewish religion of first century Palestine women were second class citizens. .That was the tradition of the ancestors.

Jesus changed all that ! Yes, Jesus changed all that !

The Gospels tell us that one of the things that the Scribes and Pharisees did not like about Jesus, what they continually accused Him of, was that He was ‘ Changing the Law and ignoring the traditions of the ancestors. “

But Jesus tells us that He came not to abolish the Law, that is the Law of the Old Testament, but to fulfill it. He came to reveal a more perfect and more complete understanding of what God requires in faithful followers.

This included revealing and demonstrating a much higher role and dignity for women. We read in the Gospels that even the 12 Apostles were shocked and amazed at first - because Jesus welcomed women into his company. He talked to women as though they were on the same level as their fathers, husbands and sons.

2 Indeed for Jesus women were and are on the same level as men. Equal - but different !

All through the Gospels we read of women who followed Christ, helped and supported Him in His mission and even followed Him to the foot of the Cross - when all the men ( except Saint John) forsook Him and fled.

Those women standing at the foot of the Cross watched while Joseph and Nicodemus came with Pilate’s permission and took down the dead Body of Christ. They followed to the cave and saw where Christ was buried. They watched Joseph and Nicodemus roll the huge stone in place to seal the tomb. The women were first-hand witnesses to these things. Then they went home.

They obeyed the Jewish Law and stayed home all Saturday, for that was the Sacred Sabbath of the Old Testament. On the Saturday Sabbath - Stay at home !

On the third day, Sunday, the first day of the new week, all the men Apostles were still hiding. They were terrified that, as close friends of Jesus, they too would be arrested - and crucified like their Leader.. The men huddled and hid behind closed doors.

3 But the women didn’t hide. They were up early and meeting together. Together they made their way in the dim light of early morning to the tomb of Christ. He had been buried in a hurry because of the approaching Sabbath when no work could be done. The Body had not been properly cleaned and treated with ointments and spices as it should have been. Christ had been denied the dignity of a proper burial.

These women were determined to put that right - as their last loving service to the Lost Leader. They gathered together the ointment, the spices, the myrrh that was needed. - They left the safety of the City walls. They walked out into the open country - to the burial cave. It was not without reason that towns and cities in those days had walls all round them. Inside the walls was some measure of safety. Outside the walls, especially in early morning and late evening, were thieves and robbers and dangerous wild animals. The women knew that - but their love overcame their fears.

As each of them set out to leave home early that morning I wonder what their menfolk said ? “ You’re going where ?”

“You’re going to do what ? “ 4 “How will you move the stone ?”

“ Don’t go there. Stay here where it’s safe ! “

On the face of it their plan to go and anoint the Body of Christ was foolish, unrealistic and dangerous. But that didn’t stop them. They were determined. They did not know what would happen when they got to the tomb. But we know ! They were the first people in all the world to hear the announcement “ CHRIST IS RISEN! “

They were the first. Not Andrew - the first called Disciple. Not Peter - who swore he would follow Christ to death, and then denied even knowing Him. Not James and John - who wanted the chief places in the Kingdom of God. They were all hiding behind locked doors. Only the women had the courage to be seen on the streets.

Men and women disciples - they had all followed Christ in the beginning.. They had all declared they had faith in Christ. So do we, every time we recite the Creed…

5 “I believe in One God…..” and so on. Every time we stand in church and say the words of the Creed we are giving public testimony that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord, God and Saviour.

But do we sometimes hide from the COST of acting out our faith day by day ? Do we refuse to spend time, energy, money, skills and talents in the service of God and the Neighbour in need ?

Do we fear the RISK of being known as a Christian. Do we keep our faith secret and hidden when we are not in the church - lest we be challenged or mocked by family, friends or foes ?

Do we fear looking FOOLISH by living as Christians, forgiving enemies rather than seeking revenge ?

The Holy Myrrh-bearing women spent a fortune to buy costly myrrh to anoint the Body of Christ. They did not resent the cost. The Holy-Myrrh-bearing women were not put off by the danger of being seen as faithful to Christ. The Holy Myrrh - bearing women did not care if their men thought they were foolish to seek out the tomb of Christ.

6 Those Myrrh-bearing women challenge the faith of every man alive. And they lead the way for the witness of Women disciples in every generation.

With the women disciples let us say….

CHRIST IS RISEN !

CHRISTOS ANESTI !

CHRISTOS VOS KREYSAY.

CHRISTOS A INVIAT !

AL MASSIAH QUM !

RISEN INDEED !

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