Home

Fr George's Letter

Details

Written by: Fr George

THE HOLY MYRRH-BEARERS.

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.” 

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

                                                                                         (Hebrews 4:15-16) 

SUNDAY 26^th APRIL. Holy Myrrh-bearing Women: Mary Magdalen, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Joanna, Salome the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Susanna, and Mary and Martha the sisters of Lazarus, Righteous Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Hieromartyr Basil, Bishop of Amasea (c 322). Righteous Virgin Glaphyra (322). St. Stephen, Bishop of Perm (1396). St. Joannicius of Devich in Serbia (1430). All Saints of Thessalonica.

”What I see around me would drive me insane if I did not know that no matter what happens, God will have the last word.”

                                                                      (St. Paisios of Mount Athos)

“The more we detach ourselves from external things and turn inward, the more we can experience and recognise God’s presence.”  (St. Anthony the Great)

“A certain monk told me that when he was very sick, his mother said to his father, “How our little boy is suffering. I would gladly give myself to be cut up into pieces if that would ease his suffering.” Such is the love of God for people. He pitied people so much that He wanted to suffer for them, like their own mother, and even more. But no one can understand this great love without the grace of the Holy Spirit.” (St. Silouan the Athonite) 

TODAY’S GOSPEL. Mark 15:43-16:8. “Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marvelled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, asked him if He had been dead for some time. So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid. Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away---for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples----and Peter----that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.” So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). This verse from the account of the Nativity reminds us of the significance of the gifts offered by the Magi to the young Christ Child. Gold was for a king, frankincense was an offering to God and myrrh was to be used to anoint a dead body. 

The brave women who came to anoint the dead body of Jesus carrying myrrh, were witnesses in a profound way to the reality of the prophetic gifts of the wise men. They wondered how the stone was to be rolled back and finding it already done, were confronted by a messenger of God who announced to them the Resurrection of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ. No wonder that they were terrified or perplexed by what they saw and heard. The revelation showed the power and presence of God in all its humility and kingly power. Their spices were no longer needed as the Risen Body of Christ had conquered death that we might live.

The names of the Myrrh-bearers are significant, their names being known to the writer of the Gospel and presumably to the early Christians. These were women who had followed Jesus in His ministry and to them the honour of being the first to learn of the Resurrection was given, the male disciples were in hiding being unaware of the momentous event that had taken place. Jesus would meet His disciples in Galilee with the add on “......and Peter”. Why Peter? Was it perhaps because of Peter’s denial and his professed love of Christ and Christ’s reassurance of Simon becoming Peter (the Rock)?

So today we remember the women blessed to be the first to know of their beloved Teacher's rising as King, as God and as a living Body no longer requiring the customary anointing of the dead. Christ came for all of us, and again we learn from the Gospel of today that it was the women who were brave enough to go to the tomb and not the men. It was those considered the weakest who outshone those considered the strongest. As ever the rising of Jesus turns the worldly concept of things upside-down and shows us how God wants us to be, not as the world expects us to be.

“Christ is Risen!”  “He is Risen indeed!”

Much Love, 

Fr. George.      

Today we welcome our beloved friends from the USA on holiday to Britain, Martha and Michael and wish them “MANY YEARS!” 

There will be a church council meeting after the Divine Liturgy in the Sacristy.